Howdy music friends. It has been a busy and fun fall thus far. Last Monday night (Oct. 24, 2022) I had no business driving north to see Mt. Joy (website) at College Street Music Center (website) in New Haven, CT.  It was my third time seeing Mt. Joy perform… first at Tipitina’s in New Orleans (see that story here from October 2019) and more recently two months ago at the Beach Road Festival on Martha’s Vineyard (see that story here).

Since Mt. Joy’s first self-titled album releases in late 2018, the band dropped two more very good records and saw their popularity grow fast after touring with The Lumineers and playing well on the festival circuit just before the COVID lockdown on live shows.  As they should, the band changed up their sound on the most recent album (Orange Blood). Unfortunately for me, it is not my cup of tea… too mellow. That does not mean it is bad – remember a few lines ago I said the album was good – it is just not for me.

I can though say, the New Haven show was bad. If you read my Beach Road Festival story (link above), you will also see that show was also disappointing. A big let down after such a killer performance in 2019. Fast growing popularity and crushing back to back cross-country touring isn’t easy. I would imagine the band is going to really enjoy the much needed break and re-tool for their next chapter. I hope the band infuses some Avett Brothers-like spunk the next go-around.

So why can I say their show was not good…

1.) Way too many cover songs. That’s a lame way to get the fans singing along. One maybe, but FOUR… give me a break.

2.) Not only is the band’s new sound more low-key (think Lana Del Ray), the set design is dark. You can’t see their faces or expressions. 

3.) This is second time they covered the Grateful Dead and played Franklin’s Tower. The droves of twenty year olds in the audience holding their phones up in the air to video the band loved it. As Deadhead know, very few bands can pull off playing the Grateful Dead.

4.) The show was way too short. 15 songs (including 4 covers). Lame. Here is it… setlist link.

Despite a less then stellar show, getting out to see live music on a Monday night keeps the soul strong!