Miike Snow at 9:30 Club
Last Wednesday evening I was reunited with Miike Snow, a band I’ve held close since my freshman year of college in 2010. Like an old friend you don’t keep in touch with, Miike Snow is one of those bands you can always go back to, even if you don’t always give them the attention they deserve. The last time I saw them play was at Lollapalooza in 2012 amidst a massive crowd of sweaty coeds. I was incredibly stoked to be reunited with this band at 9:30 Club, a much smaller venue.
Though I hadn’t listened to Miike Snow that much in recent years, I figured it would be easy to pick up where I’d left off with them four years ago. But as the band played songs like “Billie Holiday,” “Cult Logic,” “Paddling Out,” and “Black and Blue”—songs I used to know by heart—I awkwardly fumbled through the lyrics and realized it’s not always easy to pick up where you left off with someone/something.
In a recent Wall Street Journal article, the band discussed the individual endeavors they’d all pursued during a hiatus that began in 2012 and the restlessness that came with them. Each a talented producer and songwriter in his own right, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg (jointly Bloodshy and & Avant) and Andrew Wyatt each worked on records, producing and songwriting for various pop artists. Years had passed since the band’s sophomore album and frontman Andrew Wyatt “said he was anxious about reconvening Miike Snow after a long hiatus caused by interpersonal ‘issues,’ which everyone in the group chalks up to too much time together on their 2012 tour.” But as old friends often do, they picked up where they left off and wrote iii. Karlsson told the WSJ, “I never had a record come together easier or quicker.” But just as natural as it is for seasoned friends to reunite it often comes with awkwardness.
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There were some moments on Wednesday night when it felt obvious the band hadn’t toured in years. During “I Feel The Weight” a track off of iii, it was apparent that the band hadn’t fully worked out how to play the song live and it didn’t go over as well as it could have with the sweaty, short-attention-spanned crowd. Awkward moments aside, the band’s extended instrumentals and energy completely won over the sold out crowd. “THIS IS MY BEST NIGHT EVER” someone next to me yelled. I’d have to agree with her, this was one of the better shows I’d seen in recent months at 9:30 Club.
A huge smile crept across Wyatt’s face as the opening chords to “Silvia” played and the crowd went berserk. In this moment it seemed like Wyatt was remembering what it felt like to perform again after so many years away from the spotlight. “Three and a half years is a long time, you guys are making it easy for us” he said after the band finished the song.
The Breakdown:
Crowd: Hot, sweaty, smelly, many tall men, hip-shaking queens.
Overheard: “This is the best Swedish band I have ever seen.”
Note: Even the bouncer is breakin it down.
Miike Snow have only just begun their tour in support of iii and will be continuing throughout the US. To view a full list of tour dates click HERE.