Danish three-piece Mew is set to bring its pop-soaked electronic rock to the 9:30 Club on Oct. 9. The international upstart is currently touring in support of their sixth studio release, “+ -.” Alt-rock veterans The Dodos will perform an opening set—their first D.C. show since an appearance at the Black Cat earlier this year.
The Dodos, who spoke with The Eagle before their show last year, are still supporting their January 2015 release, “Individ.” The album earned high marks from critics, with the A.V. Club declaring the album “a kinetic marvel” and the notoriously hard-to-please Pitchfork calling it, “an exhilarating, albeit fairly melancholy, listening experience.” Concertgoers can expect to hear standout tracks from “Individ,” like infectiously frenetic “Competition,” but are likely to hear old favorites as well.
Danish outfit Mew can hardly be constrained to a single genre, though the band has generally been called a prog-rock band with pop sensibilities. Its sound is undoubtedly unique, but its expansive sound and dynamic sense of grandeur put the band near the realm of Muse or Coheed and Cambria. Pitchfork accurately summed up Mews’s catch-22 status, saying, “Mew are seriously uncool; they are also too cool to be popular; they are somehow both at the same time.”
Listening to standout tracks like “Satellites” from their latest release, “+ -,” it’s immediately apparent that Mew puts an almost minimalist spin on their prog-rock designation. While the band’s aforementioned peers belt out monumental tales and densely layered narratives, Mew tends to stick with the tried-and-true love song, albeit with an epic prog-rock flair.
Longtime fans of Mew can expect performances of new songs like “Water Slide” and “Witness,” but should also hear old favorites, including “Am I Wry? No” and “Beach.” The band is sure to deliver a tightly packed whirlwind set of songs from its nearly 20 year career. Mew’s pop-infused prog-rock, combined with The Dodos’ driving indie-rock, should make for an excellent show.
Mew will perform at the 9:30 Club on Oct. 9. Doors open at 10 p.m. Tickets are still available.
