Shortly before MX LONELY would take the stage at Dina’s Tavern on Monday night, I noticed vocalist Rae Haas checking out the length of the cord on their mic, which suggested to me that they were planning on making the most of the space and that this would likely be a little different (read: more intense) than my first encounter with the Brooklyn-based band, just three weeks earlier at SXSW.
Not that that previous show wasn’t intense (it’s not like they were playing smooth jazz) but it certainly had a bit of a different vibe. After all, they were the first band up at 1:30 in the afternoon (or “morning,” as they called it), playing to a crowd that was not necessarily there for them, and likely playing at least two or three other shows that day.
It’s no surprise, then, that the energy felt a bit more subdued at that show than what you might expect from a nighttime headlining gig. And though I still very much enjoyed the SXSW show, the band definitely took things up a notch on Monday night.
Sure enough, Haas was far more mobile this time around, practically neglecting their synth to make full use of the space, roaming freely around the room and even writhing on the floor as they belted out the lyrics. The rest of the band were no slouches either, going hard as they tore through tracks off their latest, ALL MONSTERS, with “Shape of an Angel,” “Return to Sender,” and “Big Hips” standing out as highlights.
The latter song was introduced by Haas with a statement about supporting trans rights (Haas and co-vocalist Jake Harms both identify as non-binary), highlighting another important element of the band: a lyrical emphasis on themes such as identity, addiction and mental health, tying together the personal and political. All in all, an impressive – and intense – performance.
