What does it mean when an artist is described as prolific? How many albums do they need to release? I can’t answer that question but I believe 21 Lp’s, 18 EP’s, 3 live albums and nearly 700 recorded songs qualify. John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats pumps out albums like a Catholic family in the 1950’s pumped out kids. 

The plural moniker is a misnomer; at its core, the Mountain Goats are John Darnielle. A brilliant lyricist that at times comes across as a pretentious narcissist. I mean, don’t most brilliant people? Oh! Have I mentioned that he hosts a podcast, writes a monthly column in a heavy metal magazine, wrote a book on Black Sabbath and three novels?

Would you call that prolific?

Darnielle and his current bandmates performed 23 songs from that vast catalog last week at XL Live in Harrisburg. How does one go about whittling their monumental catalog into a cohesive and entertaining setlist?  A setlist that satisfies fans that have been there since before it was cool to like the Mountain Goats and fans that only recently discovered them when their song “No Children” became a trending song on TikTok. 

I arrived a little later than I planned and when I finally pulled into the parking lot I was smacked with a parking lot jammed full of cars. Snaking my way up and down rows of cars, packed like sardines in a small tin can, I began to dread the inevitable push through the punctual people already inside to make my way to the photo pit. Giving up on finding an actual parking spot, I made my own and hurried my way to the door. I got my credentials, showed my ID, opened my bag to be inspected, and made my way up the ramp into the venue ready to repeat the customary “Excuse me. Pardon me. Excuse me. I’m sorry.” 

The room was only about half full. “Where is everyone? Why was the parking lot so full?”

Supporting act, Adeem the Artist, was already in the middle of their set and the photo pit was closed so I made my way to the bar and ordered a shot before meandering upstairs to snap a few shots from the catwalk. 

On the surface, the music of Adeem the Artist is good ol’ traditional country and down home southern rock. But, if you dare to dig a little deeper, you quickly realize that they are much deeper. Song titles seem humorous at first but at some point you feel your eyes well up with tears. 

Go listen to White Trash Revelry and let me know what you think.

The Mountain Goats kicked off their set with ‘In the Craters On the Moon’ from the 2008 album Heretic Pride followed by “Hostages” from the 2022 concept album, Bleed Out  that was inspired by Darnielle’s obsession with watching classing action films during lockdown.

I won’t bore you with telling you the songs that were played over the next 2 hours and 15 minutes. Nobody really gives a shit. Darnielle mentioned that he wanted to play “Noctifer Birmingham” because it mentioned Harrisburg but couldn’t remember how to play it.

Darnielle and bandmates played songs that spanned their 30 year career; from the 1994 debut album Zopilote Machine to the most recent studio album, Bleed Out, there was something for everyone.

After leaving the stage for 13 seconds before returning for the cheesy pre-planned encore, (you know how I feel about encores) the Mountain Goats played another 5 songs, concluding the night with “No Children” – the song that introduced them to the younger generation.

I had to leave before the end of the final song to photograph another show across town and as I walked to my car I noticed the parking lot was still packed.

I guess everybody was going to the strip club across the street… Except for the kids that discovered the Mountain Goats on TikTok.