This Tuesday 1/31 @ The Gothic
I despise math with a fiery passion. I’m obviously not alone in that department; millions of Americans procrastinate calculating their taxes until the twenty-fifth hour—Uncle $cam be damned. Still, I’m thrilled the subject was a mandatory part of my primary school curriculum. Why? Because I’m a musician. Ancient Chinese, Egyptians and Mesopotamians all meditated on the mathematical principles of sound. The Pythagoreans of ancient Greece were likely the first to explore the expression of musical scales in terms of numerical ratios, specifically those of small integers. According to Wikipedia, their central doctrine was that “all nature consists of harmony arising out of numbers.” Considering the word “math” is half its band name (and that it was the entirety of its original moniker), Big Easy-based Mutemath probably has a vice-like grasp of this concept. Whatever IQ the outfit possesses has certainly served it well. In its eight-year tenure, the group has gradually added The Discovery Channel, Rock Band, Transformers, Twilight and even a Grammy nod to its resume. That’s math that doesn’t suck. Subtract your seasonal affective disorder by adding the band’s Tuesday Gothic Theatre date to your calendar.
George Peele enjoys strapping on height enhancers and aurally ambushing strangers. He is Music Features Editor for 303’s print edition. Look for a Custom Singing Telegrams mention on page 66 of 5280 Magazine’s February ‘It’s a Date’ feature and keep your eyes peeled for Mantis Man at Westword’s Artopia February 18. Follow Peele on Twitter: @Orangepeelmoses. Avatar image courtesy Jonathan Shoup.