If you missed MUTEMATH on their American tour last spring, you missed out on a wholly electrifying and captivating concert experience. Hell, if you missed out on Armistice, the brilliant album they were touring behind, you’ve got to step away from the screen and download it now. Got it playing? OK, back to this review.

While the synergistic energy of a concert can be difficult to capture, Armistice Live does a great job of trying. The cameras are quick-moving, switching views rapidly enough to convey motion yet not so much to cause disorientation. All the tricks are utilized: angles, swoops, zooms and more, with some artsy black-and-white or blurred scenes thrown in here and there. The stage background—an arch with colored lights and the occasional projected images—is visible but by no means a point of focus; rather, the footage focuses on the band members and their multiple instruments, the crowd and its enthusiasm. You can’t help but feel the intensity.

While all members of the band are crucial, the obvious focus is frontman Paul Meany, he of the golden voice and wicked keytar. Meany alternates between said keytar and a piano, depending on the tempo of the song. Say what you will about the keys with a shoulder strap, but this man rocks them, and hard. He’s a high-energy performer, alternately hopping, jumping, running, careening and stepping into the crowd. He sometimes uses his piano as a springboard, or as the object of his careening cross-stage. The band has moved into its encore before you realize he hasn’t yet addressed the audience until now. While live this is irksome, on the DVD I find I actually prefer less banter.

At nearly 75 minutes the concert is more than satisfying—though, strangely, fully 30 minutes is the four-song encore. The last half of the show brings its fair share of extended jams and breakdowns, with just enough audience participation thrown in to remind you they’re there.

This DVD/live CD combo is a must for any fan of Armistice…and if you don’t count yourself among that demographic, maybe you need to hear what you’re missing. Highly recommended. | Laura Hamlett

 

Along with the concert, the DVD comes with the obligatory extras, including the making of Armistice, official music videos and studio vlogs; the live CD is the entire concert sans video.

Track listing:
1. The Nerve
2. Backfire
3. Clipping
4. Control
5. Armistice
6. You Are Mine
7. Odds
8. Typical
9. Burden

Encore:
10. Pins and Needles
11. Spotlight
12. Reset
13. Break the Same