Planet of Ice and Minus the Bear have both come of age. The former, the band’s third studio album, celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, sparking a two-month tour in which they played the record in its entirety each set. The shows were a celebration of a great album made greater by its resilience over the decade. For Minus the Bear, the shows were also the beginning of a goodbye.
Planet of Ice serves as a valuable mirror to the band’s trajectory, now nearing its end following an announcement in July. The album is a case study in the band’s unique sound and a non-stop ride that feels more like one beautiful, continuous track than a 10-song LP.
ANNOUNCEMENT: https://t.co/OHvorzSpuv pic.twitter.com/RCtCmjEl0n
— Minus the Bear (@minusthebear) July 17, 2018
The record showcases Minus the Bear’s ability to blend synth vibes with thundering guitar riffs (a la the kick in “When We Escape”). Jake Snider’s vocals mend the gap. The result of this convergence is continuous energy. Following an amped trio of openers, “White Mystery” and “Part 2” lull the listener into moments of respite, but both are back-ended by driving wake-up calls: “Dr. L’Ling” and “Throwin’ Shapes.” Like the band itself, Planet of Ice breaks and holds but never loses steam — closing with a varied culmination of the band’s sound over the span of the nearly 9-minute “Lotus.”
For a band approaching its end, with members approaching middle-age, Minus the Bear still rips. The group’s June performance at Portland’s Hawthorne Theatre looked and sounded like the work of fresh young musicians, experimenting and playing with their art on stage. Most bands at Minus the Bear’s age have exhausted their creative outlook on old tunes. What the audience got in June was a look at how to age gracefully — guitar solos looked practiced but free, movement was energetic and electric, and more than anything they sounded as tight as a group of dudes who have been playing together since their 20s should.
Progressive, jammy bands like Minus the Bear can fall prey to an oxymoronic level of talent: so much technical skill on display that an audience can get bored by the lack of humanity. This band, however, is unpredictable in style but consistent in quality. A note never feels off, but new ones sneak up and surprise even veteran fans.
The band played nearly two hours at the Hawthorne — Planet of Ice front to back, a second set of cherry-picked tracks across the discography and a three-song encore. Planet of Ice roars into being with catchy hits like “Ice Monster” and leaves you in the throes of “Lotus” before you know it. A lengthy set with Minus the Bear feels much the same way: as it begins, you’re checking your watch and thinking they can’t possibly fill the time. By the encore, you’re hoping they could strum on just a little more.
Despite a brilliant 17-year run, as the band concludes its farewell tour with three already-sold-out shows in their Seattle hometown in mid-December, fans will be left wondering where the time went and wishing for one more song.
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