Concert Review: Mt. Joy headlines Ascend Amphitheater
By: Dylan Basden
Thunderstorms, lighting, and even hail could not prevent Mt. Joy from making their biggest headline appearance in Nashville to date.
After previously headlining Ascend Amphitheater last October with support from Flipturn, the band has decided to double down and take on the venue themselves, originally planning a slate of two sets for the night. The weather may have interrupted that plan slightly, but the band still packed in a massive set, even managing to get a thirty minute extension on the city’s curfew.
2024 has already been a packed year for Mt. Joy, with multiple festivals, a spattering of opening slots for Zach Bryan on his stadium tour, and back-to-back nights opening for Noah Kahan at Fenway Park. They’ve also had some massive headline shows in the mix, tackling the Hollywood Bowl, two sold-out nights at Red Rocks, and are following up Nashville with a sold-out show at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The band also has released their latest single “Highway Queen,” which one can only assume is the lead for a forthcoming album. More recently, they’ve put out a second version featuring Grammy Award-winning artist Maren Morris. Furthermore, and not to dilute this already lengthy list of their success, the band released their second live album, Live at the Salt Shed, back in June. With all of this in mind, it is safe to say the band’s trajectory is firmly facing upwards.
The night kicked off with the aforementioned “Highway Queen,” a particularly more folk-laden track for the band, even more so than what could be found on the band’s debut album. Perhaps inspired by the recent revival in folk and Americana music or perhaps aimed at reestablishing their roots, either way it was a treat to finally hear live. A jangly acoustic guitar took center stage, with a thumping ‘stomp-clap’ percussion punching through frontman Matt Quinn’s strikingly raspier vocal. I really think Sotiris Eliopoulos’ drumming sealed the deal, on this one, feeling more distinctive than ever. If this is where the band is headed going forward, I’m excited.
This was immediately followed up by “Orange Blood,” a notable departure from their opener. Beginning in a melancholic, soothing haze, “Orange Blood” sees the band hit a slightly groovier speed, relying on bassist Michael Byrnes’ playing to add an almost hypnotic groove. We also see co-founder Sam Cooper do what he does best, adding in his slick, atmospheric guitar to elevate the composition. Sam serves as the through line as the chorus enters in, upping the tempo of the song and adding some excitement into the otherwise laid-back track.
“Strangers” saw the band lean heavily into the more jam-centric side of their sound. Jackie Miclau bounced between lead and rhythm on keys, taking in a few progressive solos as she made complicated piano runs look simple. Jackie’s keystrokes have long been a fan-favorite, but even with that expectation she still manages to blow the lid off. We also see Quinn enter the softer side of his vocal range, adding a smooth layer that was quite common of the band’s “Rearrange Us” tracks.
Other noteworthy moments included a cover of CCR’s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” with Jesse Welles, who you might know for his backyard covers or 2018 crossover “Seventeen.” The band also welcomed out violinist Lindsey Sterling on “Dirty Love,” adding a beautiful, almost haunting layer to what is normally a relatively stripped back, dynamic song. If there I one thing you can count on in the Music City it is there being special guests at a show. You can find the rest of Mt. Joy’s setlist below.
Setlist
Highway Queen
Orange Blood
Jenny Jenkins
Let Loose
Sheep
Have You Ever Seen The Rain (ft. Welles)(Creedence Clearwater Revival cover)
Lemon Tree
Roly Poly
I’m Your Wreck
Rearrange Us
Evergreen
Mt. Joy -> Dancing Queen (ABBA cover)
Strangers
Dirty Love (ft. Lindsey Sterling)
Johnson Song
Bathroom Light
Julia
Astrovan
Silver Lining
I’ve personally seen Mt. Joy eight times now, covering them for various publications six of those times. You would think I would have caught every detail of, or even grown bored of, this band’s shows, however, the reality is honestly the opposite. Mt. Joy is a band dedicated to the live show, the have near as many live albums as they do studio ones, and it is clear they enjoy making a memorable experience at their shows, no matter how many you go to. Every set is going to be unique, and more often than not every song is going to be unique. I don’t think I’ve seen the band play “Julia” the same way twice. Even as someone who typically doesn’t enjoy “jam bands,” I still find myself enamored when the band dives into one of their numerous instrumental interlude; they just seem to strike gold every time. Six years after I first saw them, I can still confidently say they are one of the best bands touring.
View Dylan’s full gallery of the night here.