March 29, 2024

Mutemath End Play Dead Tour at House of Blues Chicago with Incredible Halloween Show

Mutemath is one of those bands with such a great live show, they can impress someone who has never heard them before.  For the lucky folks who’ve seen them before, we know to expect an awesome show no matter what.  This past week, they put on yet another incredible show to close out their Play Dead tour.   The House of Blues was the perfect sized venue to house the band’s incredible stage presence, yet intimate enough to provide a special experience for fans.

Mutemath played a tight set considering the band played with only half of the members who recorded Play Dead.  This was an impressive feat given that touring drummer David “Hutch” Hutchinson had just weeks to get ready to head out on this tour after the departure of original drummer Darren King.  The band also recruited touring bassist Jonathan Allen to replace Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas.

Frontman Paul Meany and multi-instrumentalist Todd Gummerman cycled through several instruments throughout the set.  Both Meany and Gummerman bounced around stage playing guitars, keyboards, the tambourine, and the keytar.  In addition to cycling through instruments, they literally bounced around, jumping onto and off of instruments and eventually leaping onto inflatable light-up beds/rafts for a cushy, yet visually amusing crowd surfing experience.  Mutemath truly entertained, throwing in tons of audience interaction.  For their Halloween show, the band hosted a last minute costume contest and donned wigs onstage. At one point, Meany sent an instrument into the crowd and even brought his daughter onstage to sing, dance, and melt hearts together.

As an added bonus to the band’s usual energy-fueled performance, Jason Hartwyk joined for some grade A lighting design.  The guys ended their set thanking the audience for a great tour and even brought out openers Colony House and Romes for an end of tour photo  with the audience.

Photos by Sam Reyes

Setlist

  • War
  • Changes
  • Stroll On
  • Blood Pressure
  • Light Up
  • Used To
  • Odds
  • Vitals
  • Break The Fever
  • Placed On Hold
  • Pixie Oaks
  • Spotlight
  • Stall Out
  • Stratosphere
  • Azteca
  • Heads Up
  • Quarantine 1
  • Achilles Heel
  • Reset
  • Hit Parade
  • Quarantine 2
  • Marching To The End