by Marc Fong
Mogwai returned to San Francisco with a show that was as crushing as it was transcendent. Performing under the newly renovated ceilings of the Regency Ballroom, the Scottish post-rock giants delivered a masterclass in dynamics and emotional heft. Opening with the brooding tension of “God Gets You Back” and “Hi Chaos,” the band set a hypnotic tone early on—blurring the line between melody and noise, structure and release. Each crescendo felt like a physical force, and the crowd, locked into near-silence between eruptions, was fully along for the ride.
The band unfurled deeper cuts like “Pale Vegan Hip Pain” and the haunting classic “Christmas Steps,” layering slow-burning guitar swells over tectonic bass lines. “Ritchie Sacramento,” one of their more vocally driven tracks, offered a rare singalong moment, grounding the set with its poignant tribute. But it was the towering, near-mythical performance of “Mogwai Fear Satan” that served as the show’s centerpiece—fifteen minutes of shimmering tension and explosive catharsis, performed with such control and fury that it felt like time was stretching and collapsing in on itself.
After a thunderous main set closer in “We’re No Here,” Mogwai returned for a singular encore: the monolithic, slow-burning epic “My Father, My King.” The noise built and built until it became almost unbearable—then broke like a wave, leaving the crowd dazed, elated, and strangely calm. Mogwai didn’t just play a concert; they constructed a temporary universe of sound and fury, then dissolved it in front of our eyes. Few bands can make you feel like you’ve lived through something tectonic—but Mogwai does it with brutal, beautiful consistency.
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