OMG: Jeff Mangum Resurfaces For Brooklyn Gig

Videos by American Songwriter

Legendary Neutral Milk Hotel frontman Jeff Mangum played a secret show in Brooklyn last night. Lucky fans gathered at the intimate loft venue the Schoolhouse to watch the reclusive Mangum’s second show in a decade. (The first occurred earlier in the year at a benefit for New Zealand musician Chris Knox.) The ten-song set primarily featured tracks from Neutral Milk Hotel’s classic 1998 album In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, performed solo on acoustic guitar.

Show organizer Ben Goldberg, founder of Ba Da Bing Records, said, “This was a last minute show, done intentionally without buildup to let it be as simple and easy going as possible. It seems to have gone exactly like that. What I honestly feel like I saw tonight wasn’t The Greatest Musician In The World Performing The Most Amazing Songs Ever, but rather a fantastic musician performing his wonderful songs. God, I have to say that is so much more gratifying than trying to look at it as a life altering event.” Check out audio from the evening here.

Setlist:

“Oh Comely”
“In the Aeroplane Over the Sea”
“Gardenhead”
“Engine”
“Ghost”
“King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1”
“Song Against Sex”
“Naomi”
“Two Headed Boy”
“Two Headed Boy Pt. 2”

2 Comments

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  1. Wow if anyone that has any sort of contact with Jeff Mangum sees this please let me do whatever it takes to talk to Jeff he’s my hero I need to see a show of his Aeroplane changed my life and Avery Island solidified it. Please email me at [email protected]

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