CONCERT PHOTOS + REVIEW: The Mars Volta at the Sylvee in Madison, WI

CONCERT PHOTOS + REVIEW

The Mars Volta

6/8/24 – the Sylvee – Madison, WI

Review + Photos ©Justin Nuoffer / Nuoffermedia.com

On a bright and sunny night in the capitol city of Wisconsin, the town bustled with people. Bars, restaurants, and cafes were filled with people. A line formed in front of the crown jewel of music venues, The Sylvee. With fans already lined up around the corner, there was no doubt the night was going to be a busy one once inside. The electronic marquee above the 6 glass doors brightly shows “The Mars Volta. Tonight.” Once inside, the area is spacious. Off to the right, the band’s merchandise stand was filled with t-shirts and other various items. To the left, a bar ran along the entire back wall. Straight ahead, a set of stairs took you down to the general admission flooring. Up above are two levels. On the second level reserved seating and standing room spots wrap around the floor below. Finally, on the third level, six suites with seating line the back wall. The room filled up extremely quickly and was buzzing.

The stage runs the entire width of the main general admission floor. The Mars Volta have a very simple stage set up. Percussionists/keyboardists, consisting of long-time contributor Marcel Rodríguez-López and recent recruit Leo Genovese, are on the far edges of both sides of the performance area. Both men are the instrumental layering that gives The Mars Volta that extra allure.

The center stage stands Linda-Philomène Tsoungui’s drum kit. With no riser or flashiness to it, it sits on the hard wood floors with the rest of the band. She was incredible and pushed the band’s tempo. Clearly, her playing was the glue to the entire show. Often, the other performers circled around her kit as she smoothly transitioned through the time changes and shifts. Off to the right stood Josh Moreau. While he may only be filling in on bass this tour, he meshes well with the rest of the band and lays down the low-end vibes with ease.

The creative minds and founders of The Mars Volta, Omar Rodríguez-López, who stands off to the left with his guitar with his guitar covered in a Puerto Rican flag proudly displaying his heritage, and front and center, vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, whose unique voice and deep lyrical content help drive the essence of the band.

The setlist and show were nothing short of perfect. They, for the most part, went back to their roots. Their album De-Loused in Comatorium was the main focus with six tracks off of it performed. Despite that, they opened their Sylvee stop with “Vicarious Atonement” from Amputechture. The slow-building guitar lead, keyboards, and soft vocals created a euphoric atmosphere that immediately set the tone for the night.

However, this was built as merely an introduction to the beauty of fan favorite “Roulette Dares”. Cedric Bixler-Zavala unleashed his vocal range and chaotic stage moves that put him on the map as one of the most beloved frontmen in the business. The pure artistry of “L’Via L’Viaquez” allowed the crowd to simply dance and move. Hands in the air swayed and heads bobbed up and down to the funky Hispanic dance groove, and the mix of Spanish slang with English lyrics kept the attention of everyone. This wasn’t the shortened radio single version either, as The Mars Volta do not cheat their fanbase out of hearing the whole song. This was a nearly 12-minute odessey under a multitude of lights that matched the groove.

Having released their self-titled album back in 2022, the new direction of creativity hasn’t changed anything with them live. As they performed two tracks “Graveyard Love” and “Shore Story” from the new album, they mixed in some pop vibes and the impact of those quick and tidy tracks resonated. The back half of this production was mostly dedicated to that first full-length release. “Take The Veil Cerpin Text”, “Cicatriz ESP”, “Son et Lumiere,” which was used as a lead into the final song “Inertiatic ESP,” packed that final half. Mixed into this “The Widow” from France The Mute felt like a gift to the crowd, as it is a radio-friendly jam and one of their most popular songs.

The Mars Volta fans generally recognize “Inertiatic ESP” as the most similar to the creative pair’s previous band, At The Drive-In, and it does not disappoint. Cedric and Omar are an unstoppable force that pushes the boundaries of creativity. They have something special and solely their own. Their song arrangements lead the listeners on a journey to all corners of sound. The lyrical content however is dark, human, and surreal. The combination is a heavenly feeling that is easily perceived.

As I left the venue I reflected on the evening’s show. No doubt The Mars Volta are incredible performers and brilliant musicians, and they gave us everything we could’ve asked for. This experience amplified this beautiful Madison evening, and the rarity of having The Mars Volta around this part of Wisconsin undoubtedly helped increase their fan base’s love for them. It was extremely noticeable on the faces of those heading out into the night.

Check out our concert photo gallery from the Mars Volta show below:

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