Mutemath kicked off the second show of their Play Dead tour, at College Street Music Hall in Downtown New Haven Friday (Sept. 15). The lineup included the Indie Pop band Romes, from Toronto and Indie Rock band Colony House from Franklin, Tennessee, and headliner Mutemath from New Orleans.

The line up attracted a diverse audience of all ages. Shannon Rose and Elizabeth Sadosky of Connecticut have been fans of Mutemath for ten years.

Shannon said, “I’m most looking forward to Paul Meany whaling on the keytar.”

Despite the shift in sound from Mutemath first self-titled album released in 2006 and their recent album Play Dead,  the vastly diverse crowd still were bobbing their heads to every song.

Romes started the show with a high energy performance of “Tryna Be,” from their Believe EP released in 2016. The majority of the songs performed had a jazzy undertone, which gave off this feeling of being in a club and not having a care in the world. The combination of an electronic sound, with a heavily used bass guitar and drum, created a groovy vibe, in which one could easily bob their head to.

The constant interaction the band members had on stage and with their audience, made it seem like they were just rocking out in their garage, not at a concert venue. Ending the performance on a high note, Colony House was next to take the stage, and they did not disappoint.

The Colony House’s performance left the audience wanting an encore. Their rock meets storyteller vibe, left fans in awe. A consistent theme found in each of their songs was optimism and overcoming hardships in life.

Not only was the music heartfelt and au

thentic with a hint of their Nashville roots, but the band had a dynamic presence on stage. The acoustic shift in “Moving Forward” on the When I was Younger album, created an instant and intimate connection with the audience.

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The stage went black as the lead singer Caleb Chapman was left alone on stage, with nothing but an acoustic guitar. By the chorus, most of the audience had tears running down their eyes. The performance of this song felt as if all of your worries could vanquish just be listening to one song. Colony House’s performance was the perfect balance between a rock concert and a much needed break from a stressful life. Every song conveyed a messages that everyone in the audience could somehow relate to, including their song “ When I Was Younger” revealing their country and Christian roots. with its feel good/ inspirational message of not letting the bad times in life get the best of you.

“Playing with a band you want to go see after you play is just awesome,  we’ve been fans and followed their career from the very beginning  and we’re just happy to be apart of it.” said Chapman. “Songs are like chapters in a book. It would be hard to pull one chapter out of a book and have it tell an appropriate story.”

The band agreed “Move Forward” is a song that stands alone, in that it is dear to their heart.

There is no doubt each member of Mutemath pushed themselves to the brink of exhaustion on Friday night. The two hour show, consisted of twenty plus songs which ranged from “Typical” on the their self-titled album in 2006 to other fan favorites like “Spotlight,” “Used to,” “Blood Pressure,” and “War,” which is featured on their newest album Play Dead.

As Paul Meany, lead singer and keytarist, glided across the stage to the flow of the music, it drove the audience to follow. From crazy handstands and backflips on the piano to running around the stage and diving into the crowd, there was never a dull moment in this performance.

The shift in Mutemath’s sound over the various albums left long time fans confused and worrisome. Some fans expressed how over time Mutemath had abandoned the jazzier rhythms of older albums and transitioned to a more EDM/ Electronic approach to the instrumentals on their newer album.

The slow pace of the album created a  spacy ambiance, which was enhanced by use of synthesized instruments, creative lighting, and abstract imagery displayed on stage. The carefree atmosphere and interactive performanceheightened the concert experience.

Mutemath’s most recent band member Todd Gummermann,  played synth (keyboard) bass for many songs off of the Vital album and then switched to a rhythm guitar for older songs like “Typical,” which were more gritty and less EDM based.

The change in instruments also mirrored the drastic contrast and progression of Mutemath’s music. Some may say that the killer drum solo by Darren King’ s during the “Armistice” interlude stole the show, but to others, Paul Meany’s daughter stage presence was the highlight of Mutemath performance. When Amelia Meany was dancing and singing alongside her father on stage with her rendition of Twenty One Pilots “Stressed Out,” she stole the hearts of audience members.

The night was filled with three  distinct bands who each performed with a great passion for music and love for life.