Mountain of Difficulties
The Mountain Goats - started in 1991 as a lo-fi solo project by songwriter John Darnielle - played in the basement of the First Unitarian Church last Thursday, March 20. After a less-than-stimulating opening set by North Carolina's The Moaners, Darnielle took the stage alone with an acoustic guitar, playing rather obscure selections from the band's impressive discography (10 full-length albums, 3 singles compilations, 6 cassette recordings and more), delighting fanboys and girls with songs such as "Going to Reykjavik" (Nothing for Juice, 1996) and "Duke Ellington" (Protein Source of the Future... Now!, 1999). Considering the almost fanatical devotion the band inspires in its fans, this reaction is hardly surprising; the Mountain Goats are one of the few bands featured at the Church basement for whom the religious setting is completely apt. This gave the show a more friendly atmosphere than most at the venue - like listening to the older Mountain Goats records in your parents' basement with 200 of your closest friends. Later, the full band took the stage, playing a number of songs from the newly released Heretic Pride (2008), including "In the Craters on the Moon," "Sept. 15, 1983" and "Lovecraft in Brooklyn." A two-song encore featuring "Babylon Burning" and an extremely slow rendition of fan-favorite "Dance Music" (The Sunset Tree, 2005) closed out the night.