The Misters Bring Fervor to Rockwood Music Hall

The+Misters%2C+a+band+comprised+of+all+NYU+students%2C+performed+at+Rockwood+Music+Hall+on+Feb.+3.+Michael+Knitting+%28center%29%2C+a+Steinhardt+senior+in+the+Music+Business+program%3B+Brent+Crude+%28right%29%2C+a+CAS+alumnus%3B+Todd+Martin%2C+a+sophomore+in+Music+Business+%28right+center%29+and+Jim+White%2C+an+NYU+Music+Business+alumnus+%28left%29.

Connor Gatesman

The Misters, a band comprised of all NYU students, performed at Rockwood Music Hall on Feb. 3. Michael Knitting (center), a Steinhardt senior in the Music Business program; Brent Crude (right), a CAS alumnus; Todd Martin, a sophomore in Music Business (right center) and Jim White, an NYU Music Business alumnus (left).

Connor Gatesman, Music Editor

The Misters took to the stage at Rockwood Music Hall on Saturday night, intent on showing everyone a good time, and they did not fail. The band is comprised of Michael Nitting, a Steinhardt senior in the Music Business program on vocals and rhythm guitar; Brent Crude, a CAS alumnus, on upright bass; Todd Martin, a Steinhardt sophomore in the Music Business program on drums and Jim White, a Steinhardt Music Business alumnus on lead guitar.

The show kicked off with one of their signature tunes, “Trip.” The song is a dreamy jam with a definite groove. Nitting’s vocal prowess weaved through the ears of the audience from the first note, and continued to do so for the whole performance. The song had a contemplative vibe infused with a sunny tension. While it was a definite summer song, it nonetheless fit as the set’s introduction and proved itself to have a place somewhere other than your summer playlist. The guitar solo was both welcome and unique. Nitting’s singing was both controlled and powerful.

The next track, “Make it Better,” was another highlight. The band radiated a vibrant into the audience. At one point, Nitting walked through the audience nonchalantly, and began singing among the crowd. For a stunt like this to be pulled off, the band must commit to the crowd, which The Misters did seamlessly. Instrumentally, The Misters delivered here and throughout the set. The drums were punchy and on beat and combined with an agile lead guitar, which had plenty of melody to spare.

The Misters also chose to cover Estelle’s pop classic “American Boy.” The band’s jazzy rhythm and blues influenced sound melded excellently with tune. It was, for the most part, an effortless and memorable cover for the band. The midpoint of the song fell victim to some tuning issues both vocally and instrumentally, but the band quickly remedied this before the next song started. The tail end of the track was also worthwhile, with an adept solo from Martin on the drums.

The last song of the night, excluding the encore, was “GSP.” The song’s title alluded to the New Jersey parkway of the same name — Garden State Parkway — and elicited some definite recognition from the audience. However, the tune amounted to much more than a road. The song hinted at escapist desires and dreamy road trips leading to the unexpected. The plucked guitar interlude brought joy to the audience’s ears, with clean reverberation permeating the venue.

The audience wasted no time in demanding an encore, and The Misters obliged. The last song “Off My Mind (In the Summertime)” came as a bittersweet close to the set. The song had a quick pace and infectious rhythm which combined with well executed jams and riffs to form an intoxicating concoction of music that was incredibly easy to imbibe.

The show was a great display of talent for the band. The instrumentals, percussion and vocals were all fantastic. Song after song, the audience was in total sync with the music. It was a genuinely impressive experience all around from a band with a definitively distinct style.

You can find their latest extended play, “Complicated People,” on iTunes and all major streaming services.

 

A version of this article appeared in the Feb. 5 print edition. Email Connor Gatesman at [email protected].