One of my favorite quotes from Rob Sheffield’s book Love Is A Mix Tape is this:
“Every time I have a crush on a woman, I have the same fantasy: I imagine the two of us as a synth-pop duo. No matter who she is, or how we meet, the synth-pop duo fantasy has to work, or the crush fizzles out. I have loads of other musical fantasies about my crushes …but for me, it always comes back to the synth-pop duo. The girl is up front, swishing her skirt, tossing her hair, a saucy little firecracker. I’m the boy in the back, hidden behind my Roland JP8000 keyboard. She has all the courage and star power I lack. She sings out hit after hit because I would never dare to get up and sing it myself. She moves the crowd while I lurk in the shadows, lavishing all my computer-blue love on her, punching the buttons that shower her in disco bliss and bathe her in the spotlight. I make her a star.”
He then enumerates a number of very stellar synth-pop male/female duos. I expected, waited, relished in the next band he just had to name: Mates of State. It never came though, a glaring omission in the book. I sometimes think about tweeting Rob Sheffield to ask if he’s heard of them and if he adores them as much as I do. But I digress.
Sunday brought me to The Paradise to see Mates of State. One of my all time favorite bands. I’ve seen them before and couldn’t wait for the show. Their albums are amazing but their live shows are the stuff I live for. Energetic, dancy, forget the world fun. I also love them because they are unique – they just released an album of covers called Summer Crushes, Kori writes a parenting blog about taking their daughters all over the world on tour, and they are regulars with the Yo Gabba Gabba gang.
The show itself was as awesome as I expected it to be. Their setlist was perfect; they played new and old songs alike. Some included were Re-Arrange Us, Get Better, Whiner’s Bio, Think Long, You Are Free, For The Actor, Now, Ha Ha, Fluke (my favorite song of the night), My Only Offer, True Love Will Find You In The End, Technicolor Girls, Laura, and they finished the night with Goods (All In Your Head), which has one of the best videos of all time.
I took two videos and a bunch of pictures. Enjoy!
The trumpet player was incredible to watch. He had crazy energy and was dancing and singing like the fans. This guy was awesome.
Someone kept exploding confetti bombs:
Domestocrat 