Article and Photo by: Nate Sistek
Supporting their new album "Infinity Overhead," Minus the Bear rolled through Sacramento in mid-November, headlining a show at the Ace of Spades. Girl in a Coma, a girl rock trio, opened the show with a thumping, noisy set that got heads banging and energy levels primed. Cursive came on next, playing a set that started slow but ended strong, featuring of course their most popular tune "From the Hips." The brand brought out a guest singer for the song "The Recluse," a change of pace which the crowd enjoyed, as they seemed to appreciate the break from the self-proclaimed "whiny" voice of lead singer Tim Kasher. A few minutes later, Minus the Bear walked out on a brightly lit, fog-engulfed stage and was welcomed by an ecstatic crowd ready to hear the hits. And disappoint they did not. The band opened with a few newer songs, then returned to older material, including songs from their first and most popular album, "Highly Refined Pirates." The crowd screamed in joy as they first recognized the band's most well-known song, "Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse." Their new songs were also well-received, but they failed to get the wild reactions and the choral sing-a-longs that the band's other material got, as the crowd seemed to prefer their oldest albums. With a few songs to go, the crowd erupted as giant confetti-filled balloons were released from above, bouncing around as the band played and watched in amusement. The band's encore came and went, ending the show on a sprightly note that sent the crowd home happy. I took away from the night a sense of excitement as it seems that Minus the Bear's popularity is only increasing as the band continues to put out consistently quality music. With their indie rock roots guiding their more recent innovations, it'll be thrilling to see how Minus the Bear grows and develops in the years to come.
