Minus the Bear treats fans well

Minus the Bear knows how to treat fans.

They spent the summer recording a new full-length album with hot shot producer Joe Chiccarelli, who has worked with Beck, U2, Café Tacvba, and Elton John.

Yet the Seattle-based band still scheduled a fall tour that took them to some refreshingly out-of-the way locales. Instead of Los Angeles, the band played in Pomona and Solana Beach, Calif. Instead of Chicago, they will play in Dekalb, Ill., a college town in a cornfield.

And instead of hitting Houston or Austin, the band scheduled shows in San Antonio and -- lucky for us -- McAllen. They clearly wanted to give fans everywhere a chance to see them.

When they took the stage Saturday evening, they didn’t disappoint. Minus the Bear played a blistering set for a packed Las Palmas Event Center in McAllen. Cars overflowed from the parking lot, filling neighboring spaces behind strip malls and in grass-covered empty lots. Big groups from Mexico attended as well.

Minus the Bear’s albums show a wide range of influences. Some tracks are poppy and danceable; others feature expansive sonic experimentation. When the band plays live, however, they expertly jump between each.

The guys kept banter to a minimum, ripping from song to song. They played old hits, and the massive crowd seemed to know every word, singing along and pumping their fists. They also played their new single, “Into the Mirror,” which debuted on iTunes in late October.

I interviewed Minus the Bear’s drummer Erin Tate over the phone before the show, and he talked about how much they enjoyed working with Joe Chiccarelli. He told me the uber producer brought an incredible passion and expertise to the new album. That kind of high praise for a producer made me worry that the songs wouldn’t translate well live.

This was a stupid thing to worry about. Minus the Bear puts on an incredible show. They’re one of those bands that infuses energy into songs, giving them a different feel from the album.

Everything rocked Saturday, from the opening bands – locals They Mean Us and New York City’s The Antlers – to the crowd. It was definitely one of the best shows I’ve seen this year.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS

• The lead singer had the same beard/long brown hair combo as Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder. Is that a Seattle rocker thing?
• I stood next to a man in a three-piece suit. He nodded his head and kept his eyes closed during most of the show. Am I crazy for thinking this is strange? Or is this the new big thing?
• Maybe in five years everyone will buy clothes from Brook’s Brothers and wear them to rock shows.
• I think this show proves that McAllen is ready for more indie rock groups. Local music fans, including myself, seem to be fed up with driving to Austin for shows.

Zack Quaintance covers features and entertainment for Festiva. You can reach him at (956) 683-4447.