For those of us watching, the sound of mk.gee’s many fog machines was the backdrop for T-Pain’s memorable set. Thirty minutes of steady hissing warned that the upcoming hour was going to be full of the liminal feeling that defines mk.gee’s synth-heavy sound. While the jort-wearing population crowded as close to the front as possible, curious T-Pain fans meandered to the unlit stage. Right on time, mk.gee trotted up, slung his guitar over his shoulders and jumped straight into “Dream Police.”
For fans of “Rockman,” that familiar eagle caw started during song number two, “How many miles,” and persisted at-random through the set. Speaking of “Rockman,” the vindictive track was amplified by intense flashing lights. Largely inattentive to the crowd, mk.gee instead filled the space between songs with meditative guitar riffs – or, calling back to his dj set earlier at Austin Proper Hotel, some dancey song clips. A standout from the set was the frantic rendition of “New Low,” made even more disillusioned by the always-unique and often-violent guitar strums mk.gee is known for.
It isn’t a mk.gee show without some severe backlight action. The fog, bright white spotlights, and fully-set Sun meant all that was really visible of the enigmatic artist was the faint glow of his hair. But the focus of a mk.gee set isn’t necessarily the man himself, rather it seems to be a hard-to-define transience: this crowd – this energy – will only exist once, and we’re all here to listen to these otherworldly songs together. The fog, as frustrating as it may be to those wanting to catch a glimpse of mk.gee’s face, only adds to this out-of-body experience. Often, looking left or right, nothing was visible beyond the illuminated faces of the crowd. One could almost imagine the set as happening in some desolate mind-space, an effect those arranging the lighting for mk.gee’s stages are likely conscious of.
About halfway through the set, we got a few words from mk.gee: a hello, some gratitude for being in Texas, and a shoutout to the “good” moon accompanying us for the night. The white spotlights transformed into a red backdrop for “I Want,” an apt choice for a song teeming with desire. Another smartly-lit track was “Breakthespell;” the meditative song saw cloudlike fog effects swirling in the light of two lone spotlights. It seems there were two stars of the show for mk.gee’s set: the lights, of course, and the singer’s signature stomp-and-rock – those of us who have seen mk.gee’s legwork know little move well.
Right before his final song of the night, mk.gee played a clip of none other than “Miami, My Amy” by Kieth Whitley. Perhaps an ode to Texas or perhaps just a chance for a dance break from mk.gee, the addition to the set was a welcome surprise. Mk.gee closed with “Alesis,” said a quick “thank you; be safe,” and jogged off the stage, marking the end to one of this DJ’s favorite sets of the weekend.