A Mountain Goats show is more a reunion than a concert, with fans smiling knowingly to each other and chanting along rowdily. The camaraderie is born from Darnielle’s long career of storytelling and frequent touring. An energetic guitar strummer who surrounds himself with skilled musicians (Peter Hughes on bass, Jon Wurster on drums), he’s a spinner of yarns at heart. His songs—which certainly have grown richer since his early days in the ’90s playing Southern California coffee rooms—retain a simple charm, even when they’re as polished as those on his latest, All Eternals on Deck.
