I cried at the Mount Eerie and Ragana show at 191 Toole

Tucson got its taste of indie royalty last night at 191 Toole. Mount Eerie, alt-rock and indie folk legend, with the help of local Olympia, WA band Ragana, put on a spectacular, heart-wrenching show; one that forced you to pay attention and listen to their every word.

Part 1: Posters and LPs

Before the show even started, and as people began swarming into 191 Toole's small and cozy venue, Phil Elverum came out of seemingly nowhere to man his own merch stand. I personally got to share a word with Phil about an hour before doors opened, but as the night went on, It became more and more apparent that fan interaction was a huge part of this show. In the end, almost everyone spoke with Phil (I talked to him again when I bought a poster). For those wondering: he might be the nicest, most down-to-earth musician ever. As the commotion settled, Ragana geared up to start their set.

Part 2: Death to America

Part of The Flenser's band lineup, Ragana is a black metal/doom metal band consisting of Maria Stocke and Coley Gilson. Through politically charged lyrics, crushing guitar tones, and desolate blast beats, their presence held you captive throughout their 30-minute set. In a move that shocked those unfamiliar with the band, Stocke and Gilson switched their instruments to continue their set. The display of technical ability was that of a band that had been doing this for decades. It is amazing to see a queer band rock out like this, especially when the government is denying the protection and existence of queer people across the country.

The song "DTA" (death to America) received a lot of applause from the audience, and for good reason. The performance of this song was minimal and somewhat stripped back, lulling you into a sense of security. That is until it was blasted away from you through sunn (((o)))-esque guitar tones and towering drums. The emotion of the song resonated with every person in that crowd. Their last song "Unbecoming" was a tastefully crunchy end to a set full of passion and intensity.

Setlist:

Desolation's Flower

You Take Nothing

Death Drive

DTA

Winter's Light Pt. 2

Unbecoming

Score: 8/10

Part 3: I will forget who they are, but for now I know...

Not much can be said about Phil Elverum that hasn't been said already. Member of the band D+, and frontman of The Microphones and Mount Eerie, 46-year-old Elverum has a spanning reputation as an indie folk god. Through albums such as The Glow Pt. 2, Mount Eerie, A Crow Looked at Me, and many others, Phil has received critical acclaim for his unique production and crushing lyrics. He is currently touring to promote his latest work Night Palace, which is not a return to form, but yet another addition to his monumental legacy as one of the greatest songwriters and producers currently working today.

After a good wait following Ragana's set, Phil and Co. finally step into the blue-lit stage of 191 Toole, with Stocke and Gilson of Ragana coming back to help with Phil's set. The anticipation in the room was palpable as Phil looked around the room, to his bandmates, to his guitar, before turning on some wind sounds (that played throughout the entire set) and finally strummed the first note of "Night Palace". I will admit I teared up as the song continued its stride of ambiance and beautiful poetry. The flute thing was a very nice touch.

As the set went on, Phil would introduce some songs with a blurb about what they're about, or how they came to fruition. "Broom of Wind", was written about how everything turns to dust which we consume, "The Gleam, Pt. 3" was written about his mother's increasing memory loss and how he's "next in line". The crowd helped on the "oohs and aahs" on "Blurred World." Immediately after "I Heard Whales (I Think), Phil hands the guitar to Maria Stocke and returns to his roots as a drummer to play "Swallowed Alive", a powerhouse of noise and metal.

Phil's music is self-referential; he uses old motifs, lyrical ideas, and song titles to elaborate on the way he thinks and feels. This was made most apparent as he played "The Gleam, Pt. 3", a successor to a track on The Glow Pt. 2. The live version of this song was enveloping and demanded your full emotional attention. Every hit was like a gut punch, and every lyric about one-day forgetting familiar faces could make anyone bawl (it was me, I sobbed).

Despite his music being considered some of the saddest ever made according to most music media forums, Phil Elverum has always put an edge of comedy to his work. He played "Empty Paper Towel Roll" twice (???), he joked with the crowd in between almost every song, he covered "Something In The Way" by Nirvana as a joke to someone asking to play 'the classics', he had a flute vs. recorder duel with one of the other musicians on stage. He invited you to cry and he invited you to laugh, because he knows (probably better than anyone) that life is never that serious.

Phil ended with a sprawling, minimal version of "Stone Woman Gives Birth to a Child at Night." This powerfully quiet and slow track allowed me to catch my breath and enjoy what was one of (if not, the best) set of live performances I have ever witnessed.

*I left this coin somewhere on Phil's equipment after the show. I hope he knows that he now has one (1) street cred.

All in all, the crowd was attentive and allowed Phil to do his thing: take you on a ride full of mystery and despair all while showing you that we are privileged to live on the land that we do. We should enjoy the time we have here, and we should love everyone and every thing in the process. Phil Elverum's music means so much to me, and I was very lucky to be able to watch him play, and to share a few short words with one of my heroes.

Setlist:

Night Palace*

I Saw Another Bird

Broom of Wind*

Demolition*

& Sun

Non-Metaphorical Decolonization

Empty Paper Towel Roll (slow)

I Walk*

Blurred World*

I Heard Whales (I Think)*

Swallowed Alive*

The Gleam Pt. 3*

Something In The Way (Nirvana cover)*

I Spoke With a Fish*

Huge Fire*

Co-Owner of Trees

Writing Poems*

Empty Paper Towel Roll*

November Rain

I Need New Eyes*

Stone Woman Gives Birth to a Child at Night*

*Favorite Songs/Performances

Score: 11/10

thank you phil elverum...