mewithoutYou

In 2019, mewithoutYou announced that after seven records, hundreds of shows, and nearly two decades together, they would be disbanding the following year. However, the coronavirus pandemic forced them to cancel their farewell shows and now, over two years later, the band remains together. They are preparing to embark on an anniversary tour commemorating the release of their third record, Brother, Sister, before playing their final shows in 2022.

Fans are now buying tickets for the final tour with no small amount of mixed feelings, excited to see them again while also knowing that it will be the last time. I bought a ticket to the Akron show the moment they became available, and while my excitement is currently outpacing my sadness about the likelihood of never seeing them live again, I expect it to be a tight race.

While mewithoutYou never broke through to mainstream audiences, they accumulated a fanbase defined by outsized devotion; I imagine it would be difficult to find many casual fans of the group. Their lyrics, often focused on spirituality, resonated deeply with listeners who found traditional pieties untenable in a postmodern society. Through the process, Aaron Weiss became an accidental prophet, his words giving voice to what many were feeling and yearning for, but were unable to articulate. For many, the band did more than offer a number of great songs and records; they offered a new way of seeing the world. And while it’s so easy to focus on his words and unique vocal delivery, the abilities of the band itself are too often forgotten in the process. Guitarist Mike Weiss, bassist Greg Jehenian, and drummer Rickie Mazzotta have repeatedly proven themselves to be masters at creating atmospheric soundscapes without sacrificing intensity and passion. In spite of mewithoutYou’s standing within the independent scene, and the influence they’ve had on many younger bands, no one else has ever sounded quite like them. It’s a testament to their greatness, as well as to what will be lost when they hang up their instruments for the final time next year.