Mt. Joy performs at U Street Music Hall on Sept. 27, 2018. (Photo by Brenda Reyes)

Mt. Joy played a sold-out U Street Music Hall recently. Touring all over the country since late 2017 and most of 2018, Mt. Joy has had a successful year with their self-titled debut album and opening up for The Shins, The Head and the Heart, and The Lone Bellow (to name a few). I was super excited to hear them live, and they did not disappoint.

Matt Quinn (lead vocals) started off with “Big Foot,” “Jenny Jenkins,” and “Astrovan.” With the help of Sam Cooper (guitar), Michael Byrnes (bass), Sotiris Eliopoulos (drums), and Jackie Miclau (keyboards), Matt brought the Mt. Joy indie-folk-rock experience to U Street.

When rolling through the nation’s capital, it’s hard for bands not to share their opinions on what’s going on in the country. After Matt shared some thoughts about the confirmation hearings for Judge Brett Kavanaugh on Capital Hill, “Sheep” was the perfect segue back into the music. “She said a change is gonna come, love, but it’s all on us” — lyrics that really resonates in today’s America.

Listen to Mt. Joy by Mt. Joy on Bandcamp:

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The set ended with ” Silver Lining” and “Cardinal,” which are huge crowdpleasers. Sam’s guitar riff at the end of “Silver Lining” provides the perfect ending to that song. When Mt. Joy comes around town again, I won’t be surprised if they sell out their show at the 9:30 Club. They are definitely a band to watch out for in the future.

The American leg of their tour ends in Birmingham, Alabama, on Oct. 4! Then, Mt. Joy embark on a European tour through the end of 2018. Here are some pictures Mt. Joy performing at U St Music Hall. All photos copyright and courtesy of Brenda Reyes.