Los Angeles trio Mansions on the Moon was put in somewhat of a tough position to perform for a small crowd at Mojo’s on a chilly Tuesday night in Columbia. However, after a rough start the band was soon creating musical magic with a perfect mixture of different genres, vibes and inspirations.
For a late Tuesday night show it only seemed fitting to start with the tremendous Drake cover, “Tuesday.” Following the cover the first couple of songs were briefly put on hold due to a technical difficulty with the lead singer, Ted Wendler’s, guitar. After an awkward few pieces and the tour manager buying a round of shots for the entire bar, Mansions finally got their sound working and were on their way to an incredible hour-long set. The crowd at Mojo’s was slim — but that wasn’t going to stop this group from putting on a vivacious, heart pumping show.
The individuality of each member of this band is what made the show. Drummer Lane Shaw showed off his impeccable talent with rhythm; by the end of the set he had taken off his headset entirely and was relying on his knowledge of the music to keep pace. Bassist Jeff Maccora remained the calmest on stage, even during his bass solo midway through the set, he remained modest as the crowd encouraged more. Lead singer, percussionist, guitarist and keyboardist Ted Wendler, displayed an impressive amount of passion for the music he was playing. The second he brought out his floor tom drum there wasn’t one person in the audience standing still. Not only did all three members contribute their instruments, but they also contributed their voices to a three-part harmony nearly the entire set. All of these came together to form a combination of what I interpreted as Owl City, Daft Punk and Diplo vibes.
Although this concert seemed nearly perfect there were a couple of things I would’ve changed. While the opening Drake cover was a cool vibe I would’ve recommended starting with something much more upbeat: perhaps one of the songs the tambourine was featured on. I also would’ve loved to see some form of collaboration between their opener, No Limits. The two complemented one another so well it would’ve been an exciting collaboration.
These guys are incredibly knowledgeable about their trade and have perfected their complex sound over their last 5 albums. I recommend music lovers of all genres take the time to see these guys, maybe at a more sizable venue — they will certainly impress the masses.
Ellen is the Live Events director for KCOU and a senior Strategic Communications major from Blue Springs, MO (we can just call that Kansas City – makes things easier.) She likes mexican food, cinnamon rolls, and the occasional Dexter episode. Her dream is to one day plan and promote concerts for a living, although she’s accepted the fact that she’ll probably end up as a hand model.
