Megafun, Breathe Owl Breathe - The Earl, Atlanta, GA (5.1.2010)

I’d like to take this opportunity to discuss what could possibly be my favorite group of musicians on the planet. Now, you will never hear me say this outright. “So and so is my favorite band ever”. Because first of all, that’s just too tough a decision to make, and second of all, the world of music, along with my own personal tastes and interests, are constantly evolving and changing directions. What is true today might be totally different tomorrow or a year from now. But make no mistake about it; I am absolutely head over heels in love with the music of Breathe Owl Breathe and I have been ever since the first time I heard them play over 3 years ago. I listen to it all. Bluegrass, jazz, folk, jam, funk, reggae, new music, old music, weird music… there are no boundaries. And still to this day, none of it has had quite the effect on me that Breathe has. Perhaps it’s because this music hits so close to home? Perhaps its Andrea Moreno-Beals’s soothing cello and sweet, calming voice, or Micah Middaugh’s supernatural ability to infiltrate your imagination and take you places you’ve most likely never dreamt. Whatever the reason, one thing is for certain; this music is pure magic.

I arrived at The Earl just in time for the last couple songs of a fairly mediocre opening band. I took a minute to soak in the environment and then got my paws on a cold one - the usual. It wasn’t long before Breathe was taking the stage and I could barely contain my excitement. I haven’t been in Atlanta for long, but I have surely missed the music of my home state, ESPECIALLY the music of Breathe Owl Breathe. Trevor Hobbes finished the assembly of his drum kit and got all settled in while Andrea, Micah, and the sound guy worked out the kinks on the instrument and vocal microphones. After what seemed like forever, the band was up and running. As soon as the sounds of Andrea’s cello hit my ears, my eyelids sank down and I was lifted off my feet and transported back to Michigan again, huddled amidst hundreds of heavily-dressed Harvest Gatherers sitting shoulder to shoulder, trying to stay warm. Blankets, wool hats and mittens… it was storytelling time. Micah carries this deep, baritone voice that is an entirely separate instrument in its own right. It rumbles and shakes in sharp contrast to the sweet, sweet song of Andrea, providing these harmonies that are nothing short of remarkable. With Trevor in the back brushing and tapping, clicking and splashing, you become completely engulfed in the storybook of Breathe Owl Breathe. As I said before, Micah has this uncanny ability to infiltrate the deepest nooks and crannies of your imagination and with playful, whimsical lyrics and simple, harmonious guitar playing, he paints a picture that tells the tale of prehistoric animals, rickety boat rides to the far reaches of the polar ice caps, and mysterious encounters with mother earth. Thumb pianos, miniature keyboards, and enough toys and noisemakers to keep a child occupied for days give this music a unique, playful touch that makes us all feel young again. Indeed, we are children at heart. Now, if I had to guess, I would say that the majority of the people in attendance at The Earl that night had never heard the music of Breathe Owl Breathe before. But it mattered not. There they stood, wearing their signature hand-made capes, as playful as ever. After a song or two, Micah had the entire audience all huddled closely around the front of the stage, patting their knees to simulate the sound of rain as he blew softly into the microphone, providing the illusion of wind and a storm brewing on the horizon. Towards the end of the set, Andrea even had the whole group doing the dance of the Sabertooth Tiger and I can assure you, everyone was participating. If any of these people had a shell, they left it home. At one point, Micah slipped on this thermal ski mask looking thing that had me covering my mouth in attempt to keep quiet. His curly hair hung loosely out the front and his thick mustache was the only visible part of his beard. He had the appearance of a medieval knight (perhaps straight out of Monty Python) ready to slip his helmet on and charge into battle. I believe he went into some spoken word type of poetry of some sort, although I’m not entirely sure. Whatever it was, it only added to his already mystifying persona.

Although the set was WAY too brief for my liking, it was phenomenal to hear the sounds of Breathe again. I took a moment to speak with the group after their set. Trevor thought their new release would be coming out sometime around September. I personally plan on purchasing this album on vinyl if it’s available. If it is anywhere NEAR as cool as the Ghost Glacier vinyl, I assure you, it will be well worth your money. As always, the group was in high spirits, albeit a bit tired from their most expansive tour schedule to date; a schedule that sent them all the way to the northwestern-most corner of our nation, down the coast, and then eventually here to the southeast. They were on the last leg of this trip. The last of 23 or so shows with the band Megafun, a trio who “has become like brothers to us” notes Trevor, and mere days away from a return to the Mitten.

Micah and Trevor had nothing but great things to say about Megafun and I wasn’t about to go walking out of The Earl anytime soon. The band kicked it off with a slower paced ballad and proceeded to walk through an impressive set of music that had a wide variety of comfort folk tunes and unique vocal interaction. Megafun exhibited that same playful exuberance that Breathe had just displayed and even jumped down off the stage a couple of times to mingle with the audience, providing a truly engaging musical experience. In the end, I think everyone in the room walked away with a smile on their face and a sparkle in their eye and when it really boils down to it, that’s what it’s all about.


PLEASE make a point to support Breathe Owl Breathe in any way you possibly can. Go see a show, buy their albums, lend a helping hand… not only do these three musicians create unbelievable music that you will carry with you for a lifetime, but they are unbelievable people, with hearts the size of Michigan.