Mutemath

Every time Mutemath comes through town, the band outdoes its previous performance. Which is probably why its audience continues to grow. The first tours featured a tight, explosive performance. That led to the impromptu acrobatics of drummer Darren King. Then that eventually made way for a stunning light show.

It all raises the question: How far can things really go before before fans start appreciating the band's flash over its substance?

"This might backfire on us," admits singer Paul Meany before announcing that, for this tour, Mutemath is taking a different approach. "The way we're improving the show is with more music. We're letting it evolve naturally."

Specifically, Meany is referring to the 13 songs on Muthmath's most recent release, Armistice, and the way in which it's simply being used as the band's starting point. "We're only four weeks into the tour, and the songs are already beginning to evolve," Meany says. "It's like watching your kids grow."

Of course, this isn't a new concept for Meany and Co. The four-piece spent the last three years on the road, pushing, pulling and stretching the songs from its self-titled debut. No wonder the band's excited to have new material.