On first look, the MMOTHS audience is an easy one to sum up: painfully trendy 19-year-olds awkwardly huddled together in groups of four or five, at least one of whom must be wearing a novelty jumper (obviously, as a decrepit 25-year-old, I jest because I long to be one of them).
On second, third and fourth look, though, I find something entirely different. The 600-odd fans of teenage electronic virtuoso Jack Colleran do not all look like him; on the contrary, there are burly rugby types, seasoned metalheads and folks that don’t particularly fit into any punchy description gathered here. It’s a testament to a musician as certifiably hip as MMOTHS that not all of his dutiful followers are in it for the haircut or the pulling possibilities (which are many in this sweaty youthbox), and once he takes to the moodily-lit Button Factory stage, for the first time accompanied by a drummer and guitarist, it’s easy to see why.
A gamechanger rather than a gameplayer, MMOTHS makes a sound that manages to be sultry but industrial, echoing the creativity of Flying Lotus and Squarepusher without copying a single bump or fizz. Aside from the show’s final number, which is infused with charging, showy percussion, the addition of instruments to the set-up is essentially seamless. Newcomers to the Mmoths live experience might be shocked to find a post-rock edge flowing into a handful of tracks, but for the most part, sounds from the buzz-causing Heart EP and a tease of new material are cleverly enhanced by the expanded line-up. An encore of ‘Summer‘ and ‘Heart‘ sans instruments reminds punters why they fell in love with MMOTHS in the first place: between striking melodies and contorting rhythms, it feels appropriate to stop and remind yourself that Colleran is not yet 20.
Baffling as it may seem, the Kildare native is already thinking big picture, calling on some lush visuals to make the show surpassingly atmospheric. A woozy mash-up of drab cityscapes, foaming waves and doe-eyed females, the subtly hypnotic on-screen mutilations chime perfectly with Colleran’s oft-stark, oft-lush beats. The glum mood is further enhanced by some paper lanterns and searchlights, which throw orange beams onto the stage, making it look like dawn has come a few hours early. A better soundtrack to daybreak, you simply won’t find in Dublin city.