Up-and-coming band Minus The Bear electrify crowds at Cat's Cradle

While many times a cold, rainy day advocates for dreary moods and condones those with a lackadaisical nature, this was not the case for those in Carrboro at the Cat's Cradle when Minus the Bear blustered through last Friday night. Embarked on their Fall tour before the release of their forthcoming album in 2010, Minus the Bear chose alternative rock group Twin Tigers to join them on the tour as well as opening act, Maple Stave.

Hailing from North Carolina, Maple Stave managed to get the evening moving through their blend of rock contributed to by three musicians. Their set was surprisingly short not only because time was crucial since the show began right at 9 P.M., but also because they didn't have a large catalogue of songs to begin with. Taking the stage shortly after were Twin Tigers, a band comprised of three males and a female on bass, who played a form of alternative rock similar to that of Keane. At each band's mention of the headliner that evening, Minus the Bear, nearly all audience members erupted in cheers. In fact, hardly anyone appeared to have any interest in the openers which caused these lesser-known bands to have the appearance of possessing more energy than that of the crowd.

By the time Minus the Bear was approaching the stage, the venue was almost filled to its 500-person capacity, truly exemplifying the meaning of a show that sold out days in advance. Even before the first chord was strummed, note was pressed, or drum was hit, all Minus the Bear fans raised their voices out of excitement and in unison, all knowing that they were in store for a very melodic evening.

Immediately upon Minus the Bear's first song being played, the typical standing area for viewing the bands was turned into quite the dance floor where many fans moved their bodies in motion to the groovy synth and bass. Both band and audience appeared to be feeding off one another's energy. The louder the fans screamed, the faster they danced, and the more they clapped, Minus the Bear only expounded on this by adding more fuel to the fire, increasing the intensity of their rather harmonious performance.

Nearly every song that Minus the Bear began to play was met with a level of cheering equivalent to the volume of the tunes streaming from the amps and, oftentimes louder, as fans recognized their favorite songs being played. Going hand-in-hand with this, many imagined that they were lead vocalist Jake Snider himself, singing most songs word for word. It seemed as if the show was more about the audible experience rather than the visual since many fans could be seen singing with their eyes closed and not paying as much attention to the band themselves as would be expected.

Each of the five men who compose what is Minus the Bear was very tight musically, yet exactly the opposite physically: very loose and relaxed. Bassist Cory Murchy rested on a bar stool the whole set due to an injured back, but played a significant role in motivating the fans to dance with each bass line he played. Both guitarists did a little grooving to their own music, even lowering themselves to the audience's level at times and picking, tapping, and strumming solos on the stage floor. With the help of Alex Rose on the synthesizer and various other electronics, Murchy's bass lines were matched with every change in rhythm to further produce the unique, melodic songs for which Minus the Bear is known. Rose would record an effect and then loop it throughout the song, all the while laying down melodies on top. Drummer Erin Tate had his own important role to play, backing the entire entity with the backbeats and a barrage of other techniques.

Before Minus the Bear had even ventured halfway through their set, a couple of fans were already shouting "One more song!" By the close of the sonorous evening, every single fan not only earned a two-song encore but deserved it as well due to their exceedingly impressive amount of interaction. Because of the maximum level of excitement exhibited during Minus the Bear's closing song, "Pachuca Sunrise" appeared to be the fan-favorite of the night judging by the ability of the song to morph the crowd's movements into very rapid convulsions that satisfied the demands of the rhythm.

There wasn't a single person who looked prepared to leave when Minus the Bear bid their fans farewell, as many lingered around and continued to applaud long after the band's exit. One such fan was left speechless when asked about what he thought about the show and was only able to utter "Amazing." However, other members of the crowd who weren't as acquainted with the band had slightly different opinions. "This was the first time I have seen Minus the Bear; I really enjoyed seeing the crowd's reaction to the band," said fellow UNCG student, Naomi Hoots.

While many people vacated shortly after the show, a significant number of devoted fans stopped by Minus the Bear's merch booth to fill up on a variety of swag. 20 bucks was a small price to pay for a shirt if it meant having something memorable from that rather impressive and symphonious evening. Minus the Bear, perhaps unintentionally, left an imprint upon Carrboro and certainly in the hearts of many of their most diehard fans.