In the realm of bands that have always been perhaps underrated and worthy of bigger stages, Mercury Rev ranks close to the top. For over three decades, Jonathan Donahue and Sean “Grasshopper” Mackowiak, along with a rotating cast of talented musicians, have been conjuring the kind of grandiose, cinematic psych-pop sounds that can stir up emotion in the darkest of hearts. Their albums manage to capture some of their magic, but seeing Mercury Rev perform live is truly the key to understanding the power of their music. With their latest album, Born Horses, coming out last fall, the band has been on the road sharing new songs and old. On Wednesday, February 27th, they made their way to Portland, Oregon for an impressive performance at Mississippi Studios.
With the flickering orb and dense fog, the band emerged onstage and launched into the sprawling tune “The Funny Bird” with its dramatic bursts of drums, keys, and guitar. Working the center stage like a whimsical conductor, Donahue appeared as if stepping down from the door of a UFO to deliver us earthlings good news about another world. What followed was a performance that felt more fitting for an arena than the intimate bohemian living room setting of Mississippi Studios. The quintet balanced older favorites with new material, including the moody and cinematic “Tonite It Shows,” the otherworldly harmonica sounds on “Vermillion,” and the dazzling psych journey of “Dream of a Young Girl (As a Flower).” These contrasted nicely with the prophetic spoken world of “Ancient Love.” Towards the end of the set, the band guided their trippy space vessel into something of a greatest hits segment that started with the standout track “Tides of the Moon” complete with Grasshopper’s drippy, meandering guitar and an infectious groove. “Holes” followed up with its playful lyricism and powerful synth orchestration from Jesse Chandler and Marion Genser. “Opus 40” was positively vibrant with its galloping, pop-laden rock sounds, showcasing the band’s ability to shift from slowly percolating moments of drama to more exuberant fare.
As the band closed out fantastically with the swelling, bombastic work of orchestrally lush rock that is “The Dark is Rising,” the stage almost appeared to be levitating. Just as they had emerged, they seemed to take off and fly away, disappearing into the night. The beauty of it all left the audience feeling enlightened after an expansive ninety-minute performance that only reaffirmed their status as one of the great underrated live acts.
Setlist:
The Funny Bird
Tonight It Shows
Vermillion
Dream of a Young Girl (As a Flower)
Runaway Raindrop
Goddess on a HiWay
Ancient Love
Tides of the Moon
Holes
Opus 40
The Dark is Rising
