Mae Shi's Jon Gray and Jeff Byron / Photo by JON BEHM

Making their entrance by weaving through the crowd to the stage, L.A. noise rockers the Mae Shi brought their loud, spastic, and over-reactive sound to Minneapolis’ Uptown Bar last night (July 7th). The set's second song, “I Get (Almost) Everything I Want,” was barebones instrumentally but full of cathartic harmonies and buoyed by a powerful chorus.

This quartet of frantic Californians, who released their fourth and most recent album, HLLLYH, back in February, have been around since 2003, mixing the LOUDquietLOUD of the Pixies with the spastic blurt of early Modest Mouse, tossing in a bit of their own howling, bratty singsong punk.

While Casio-laden tracks like “Run to your Grave” fall on their more widely appealing side, their distinctly raw tracks brought together a chaotic aggression via an electronic, fuzzed out, post-punk metallic feel, as the members gave their all during a high-energy, inspired performance that had passersby outside peering through the windows.

Midway through the set, what looked like a giant bedsheet was sent forth into the crowd and set up like a gym-class parachute. The crowd controlled it together like a blinding white sea that continued for the rest of the Mae Shi's performance, adding a little bit extra to that feeling of crazy that already permeated the band's memorable set.

We Asked: A lot of the Mae Shi’s song titles in some way evoke mortality. Who’s your favorite morbid-minded band?

Read the fans' answers >>
More photos from this show >>