The snow had been accumulating on the streets of Madison for about two hours by the time I made my way to the High Noon Saloon on Monday. I wanted to be out of the house, I needed to see live music, but reservations set in as my all-wheel-drive car had trouble navigating the slippery conditions.
I made it. I was surprised at the crowd, though I shouldn’t have been, Cougar has strong ties to the city of Madison, all the members once called this place home. You may not be familiar, but if instrumental music that bears a strong resemblance (at least to me) to Tortoise and Four Tet is your thing, you’re missing out if you pass on a chance to pick up their fantastic album, Law.
The dark atmosphere, packed with people whose shoes still dripped that mixture of snow and soot onto the floor, was the perfect place to be on Monday night. The crowd, an almost secret society, that consisted of long-time friends and family members of the band watched attentively as Cougar played a consistent mix of old and new tunes. Debuting a new song, “stay famous,” Cougar passed the enthusiasm onstage onto the concertgoers who applauded enthusiastically upon its conclusion.
Trying to write or review about music without words proved less difficult that I expected, yet I won’t be coxcomb and pretend that anything I’ve written could actually come close to how much I enjoyed the show – and that’s why words often fall short of describing such an event. Nonetheless, I found the music to be almost meditative, an easy escape to a work week only eight hours old. Monday night was an experience, not just a concert. It was a memory, a beginning of a tour, and a catapult for a band who’s about to achieve big things.
Thoughts/Reviews? I know you folks were out there.
Myspace: Cougar
Buy: Cougar – Law
