Last Thursday, I had the chance to see The Mountain Goats perform live at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC. The show didn’t disappoint at all. I have a weird relationship with The Mountain Goats’ music, and they are one of my go to bands when I’m in a certain mood.  I usually like to listen to them by myself, so with that said, I wasn’t sure what to fully expect or how I would feel seeing them live. That’s probably why I enjoyed the beginning and the end, when the whole band was out, more than when Darnielle played solo, which was much more intimate (and of course, still great.)

Kaki King opened for the Mountain Goats, and played some duo’s with Darnielle, and later the rest of the band.  The two of them paired up recently to collaborate on an EP entitled Black Pear Tree. Darnielle says of the EP, “Kaki King and I, under a cloak of great secrecy, snuck into Baucom Road studios in western North Carolina last month and recorded the six-song Black Pear Tree EP together with Scott Solter producing… People who know how I feel about Kaki’s music can imagine what an honor it was for me to get to work with her.”

Anyone who knows the Mountain Goats well knows that Darnielle is a great storyteller.  The best story of the night was when he was telling the background to “Thank You Mario But Our Princess Is in Another Castle,” which is a song on the EP he recorded with Kaki King. Darnielle’s words don’t give justice to his delivery, but he spoke about the ignorant mushrooms, and how they weren’t going to hurt you, but you just had to kill them…and then you get to the castle and the toad is there and is so grateful to see you, and then tells you that the princess isn’t there, but you’re still really happy because you just saved this random dude’s life (who somehow knows your name, even though you don’t know his). The song is sung from the point of view of Toad, and is therefore possibly the greatest song ever.

The band played two amazing encores, the second of which came after half the venue already left. Oh, and did I mention they covered Morrissey’s song, “Suedehead”? (Fellow Indie Muse writer and Mountain Goat showgoer, Chris, was once quoted as saying he wants to have Morrissey’s babies.)

Black Pear Trees EP:

(mp3) The Mountain Goats & Kaki King – Thank You Mario But Our Princess Is in Another Castle

Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco,  March 2, 2008:

(mp3) The Mountain Goats -The Sign (must listen to Ace of Base cover)

Tallahassee:

(mp3) The Mountain Goats – No Children

(mp3) The Mountain Goats – Peacocks

We Shall Be Healed:

(mp3) The Mountain Goats – Cotton

click through for the setlist & more tour dates

Setlist:

Have to Explode
Heretic Pride
Moon over Golsboro
Pigs that Ran Straightaway into the Water, Triumph of
New Zion
Transjordanian Blues (1 verse)
It Froze Me
Mary Carpenter Cover

Thank You Mario but Our Princess is in Another Castle
Black Pear Tree
Mosquito Repellent
Bring Our Curses Home
Supergenesis
Suedehead

Sept 15 1983
International Small Arms Traffic Blues
In the Craters on the Moon
This Year

Dance Music
No Children
Going to Georgia

Mess Inside
Houseguest

last two tour dates:

11/08 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/09 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall