The US folk group the Mountain Goats enrapture the crowd
MUSIC
Mountain Goats ★★★★
Forum Theatre, 17 April
Attending a Mountain Goats concert is a bit like going to church; There’s an air of enthusiastic reverence that intensifies as the lights dim and the American trio take the stage. It’s been almost a decade since the band, led by the charismatic John Darnielle, toured Australia, so you can imagine the excitement.
Darnielle’s erudite, personal lyricism contrasts with the often upbeat folk music; Darnielle admits as much when introducing a song: “It’s an uptempo number about what life will be like after the ultimate collapse.” These literate songs are engaging miniature poems, but they’re also a lot of fun.
Live, The Mountain Goats offers a special experience every night. Unlike other bands, there’s no predictable set list, even when touring with a new album; In 2025, the band released its 24th album. From Through This Fire opposite Peter Balkan.
The set includes a few songs from that record, but otherwise there’s a bag of fan favorites and deep cuts, as well as a brand new song that premiered in Sydney earlier in the week.
Initial issues with audio mix (including ear-jarring bass-heavy audio) I have just got up) shows determination as the set continues, jumping from one mood to the next. Multi-instrumentalist Matt Douglas adds color and depth to the moody song with saxophone Moon Over Goldsboroand a surprise performance Michael Myers Glamorous – not included in the written set list – delights even the most devoted fans.
Douglas and drummer Jon Wurster leave the stage mid-set for Darnielle to play a few songs solo. Here the frontman really connects with the crowd, offering stories from throughout his prolific career and playing improvisations from songs spanning decades.
“We live in a world where there’s not a lot of improvisation in a rock set,” he says, as if to explain the impromptu nature of this section. It’s beautiful to hear Darnielle’s unadorned voice on its own, but it’s equally beautiful when her bandmates rejoin her halfway through youthIt culminates with a display of technical wizardry by Douglas on a long saxophone solo.
Two songs you are guaranteed to hear at a Mountain Goats concert: this year And No Childrenand both are greeted with enthusiastic cheers and word-for-word singing.
A treat for long-time fans and newcomers alike, this lavish concert is a testament to the band’s staying power.
Reviewed by: Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen
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