last night @ the Middle East

Let me start this post off by saying this: Math the Band is one of the most insane two-person bands ever (of course, Insane Clown Posse will always be THE most insane).


I saw them last night for the umpteenth time with Charlie. We drove into Central Square, and Charlie actually ended up seeing an old friend of his who lives in rather close proximity of the Middle East.


But, anyway--MATH the BAND:
Kevin Steinhauser.
Justine Mainville.
I'm sure they're one of the quirkiest couples out there, even for living in Providence (which is, as far as I can tell, quirky capital of RI).


Their musical performances always consist of:

• an iPod (they used to lug around a MacBook) on a very loud setting, hooked up to an amplifier, with all of their backup electronic music on it;
• screaming into microphones (on which they always stick foam "spit-covers"--or, at least, that's what I get out of those foam things on the mics);
• keyboard--loud;
• a floor tom and a crash cymbal being beaten up--louder;
• a guitar, very loud--and occasionally, very out of tune;
• Kevin playing jump-rope with his guitar and strap by walking through the loop they make together;
• Justine doing the Macarena dance to a song that is not the Macarena;
• sweat--and lots of it;
• great photo opportunities.

I try to go to concerts of theirs whenever I can, and one good reason to attend them is that each concert always turns out to be a good work-out. Like, basically as good as ska shows, because everybody jumps, dances, skanks, and in some cases (last night there was a college kid doing this) moshes or thrashes... even if it ends up being with nobody in particular.


But anyway, last night they were playing at the Middle East, which is pretty close by, in the great scheme of things, so Charlie and I dropped by. It was pretty cool.


Side note: I always thought their name could've been could have been even more obnoxiously awesome if they were just called "Arithmetic the Musical Group."