Celebrating the release of their seventh studio album, The Mars Volta wrapped up two sold out shows at New York City’s Terminal 5 on Friday, September 30th. Their self-titled LP, The Mars Volta, was released by Clouds Hill Records on September 16th, marking a dramatic shift in the band’s sound who traded their frenzied, long-form prog rock styling for a more stripped back and deliberate art-rock. The result of a true collaborative effort, The Mars Volta focuses on Latin jazz fusion while giving Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s vocals plenty of space to ring out as clear as ever.
The Mars Volta last played New York City over a decade ago, before their sixth LP Noctourniquet was even recorded. The announcement of the new record and tour was hailed by a fanbase that has not seen the band in 10 years, as well as new found fans who truly thought they would never get the experience of seeing The Mars Volta live. The crowd at Terminal 5 was a mix of both and the excitement was palpable long before doors even opened.
Support on this tour comes from Teri Gender Bender; the latest moniker from the supremely talented and genre defying musician Teresa Suárez Cosío. Cosío has fronted many projects over the years, including the garage punk band Le Butcherettes and the psych rock group Bosnian Rainbows, also featuring Omar Rodríguez-López. Teri Gender Bender released a slew of EPs and singles on Clouds Hill Records back in August and the band’s sound and Cosío’s dynamic stage presence were a perfect fit to open the show. Featuring a cryptic and driving psychedelic performance, the music floated somewhere between Björk and classic NYC punk, leaving a clear impression on the Terminal 5 crowd.
The band’s setlist has been quite consistent throughout the tour so far, including the two lead singles from The Mars Volta, “Blacklight Shine” and “Graveyard Love”. Both songs take on a whole different life on stage, primarily due to the incredible drumming from new band member Linda-Philomène Tsoungui. While the setlist used to feature Amputechture highlight “Viscera Eyes”, it has been dropped from the setlist the past couple of tour dates including New York City. The Mars Volta have been paying homage to their roots on this tour with 7 out of 10 songs from their 2003 classic debut, Deloused In The Comatorium. Find the full setlist below.
The Mars Volta has always been the creative output of guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric, with a revolving band that tours behind them. This current iteration of the live show still feels like a collaboration amongst all the artists on stage even if they were not present during the recording of The Mars Volta. Linda-Philomène Tsoungui brings an enormous amount of energy and jazz complexity to the rhythms, while long-time collaborator Marcel Rodríguez-López (a.k.a. Eureka The Butcher) provides keys and Latin percussion. Leo Genovese is the other new multi-instrumentalist, performing lengthy and riveting piano and tenor saxophone solos.
The tour continues throughout October with several stops in the Midwest and the west coast, ending with a three-night run at Los Angeles’ The Hollywood Palladium. Shortly after the tour, The Mars Volta headlines Mexico City’s Hipnosis festival on November 5.
This new era feels like a rebirth of the band, with just as much passion and creative energy as ever. While there are no plans after the show in Mexico, the passion on display from Omar, Cedric, and the touring band feels like they will not stop there. Check out more photos from night two at Terminal 5 by Lindsay Brown below.
The Mars Volta – Terminal 5 – September 30, 2022
Setlist: Vicarious Atonement, Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of), Eriatarka, Graveyard Love, L’Via L’Viaquez, Empty Vessels Make The Loudest Sounds, Cygnus…Vismund Cygnus, Blacklight Shine, Drunkship of Lanterns, The Widow, Cicatriz ESP, Televators, Son et Lumiere, Inertiatic ESP
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