Although I was lucky enough to catch a couple of sets from Mineral spinoff projects after moving to Austin in 2001, I was several years too late to see the quintessential emo band. Mineral, along with Sunny Day Real Estate and a handful of others, created music in a pivotal era that acts as a fulcrum between the hardcore punk leaning progenitors of emo such as Rites of Spring and the bands who would turn it into a processed, slick pop genre–bands like Brand New and Taking Back Sunday.
Mineral had an aesthetic that strayed away from the trappings of pop, preferring slow builds and mournful yet melodic riffs. The group has remained a beloved if somewhat underappreciated act over the last two decades, and while the reunion may fall a bit short of the status of a Pixies or Neutral Milk Hotel reunion, rest assured, there are plenty of fans who are beside themselves. Friday night, Mohawk was filled with the select few fans who lucky enough to hear about the band’s secret show and make it down to the venue early enough. All night, you could hear concertgoers comparing how many years they’d been waiting for this show; the excitement was palpable.
Jess Williamson opened the night and was able to play the first half of her set to a crowd that seemed impressively reverent out of respect for their beloved headliner. After all, if Mineral picked the opener, we’d better be paying attention. During her set, Williamson exuded her usual transfixing energy a she delivered her haunting and visceral songs. She also garnered wild cheers and applause when she admitted that she, too, was an avid Mineral fan and revealed that her AOL screen name and email were once references to Mineral: “EndSerenading” and “lastwordisrejoice,” though I can’t recall which is which. The Austin crowd did their maddeningly frustrating talking schtick through Williamson’s final two songs. She deserves no discredit (the show was great); I was surprised, as the audience had been so attentive previously–perhaps the impending performance proved too exciting, although it’s still no excuse. Here’s hoping some of these attendees were smart enough to pick up Williamson’s excellent Native State when they were at the merch booth buying Mineral shirts.
When Mineral finally took the stage, they quipped about being The Parking Lot and commented that this was their first show ever. They also remarked on how little information there was about them online, drawing excited chuckles from their fans. Mineral’s music, slow-burning song structures full of emotive, aching, and isolated guitar riffs punctuated by explosive, anthemic drumming, served as apt metaphor for the crowd’s emotional state on Friday night. Some fans bowed their heads in introspective joy before bursting upward with exciting fist pumping as they sang along to the words they’ve intoned for nearly two decades now.
A few younger fans who waited at the front of the stage all night appeared in a state of total bliss, as they likely thought this day would never come. The band played a solid selection of songs from across their two full-lengths, treating fans to an excellent late 90s soundtrack of their youth. Undoubtedly, the world, and Austin in particular, are thrilled that Mineral is playing shows once again. Of course, you can catch them at Fun Fun Fun Fest in November, which we highly recommend. But there’s no promise of new material or that this will last forever, so see them while you can, music fans.
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