Rockers to visit Columbia Sunday, will host NC music festival in June
The Mantras' music is a melting pot of sound.
The band, which formed about seven years ago in Greensboro, N.C., started as "a couple of guys in music school, playing around," according to its keyboard player Justin Powell.
The current lineup has only been playing together for around a year, but The Mantras have maintained the same musical roots, blending a variety of genres to deliver a high-energy performance.
They'll bring what Powell calls a mix of rock, a little bit of improv and some jazz influences to 5 Points Pub Sunday, opening for prog-rock band Dopapod.
"We play anything that strikes our fancy," Powell said. He added that the band has played in Columbia two or three times, and he's "ready to get back."
Powell said The Mantras change the set list every night, and Sunday's show will be no different.
"We try to make a point to mix it up," Powell said. "We do like playing covers. We never play the same thing every show. There's no telling what cover we'll play [at the Columbia show]."
The Mantras have made a name for themselves on the festival circuit while opening for groups like Umphrey's McGee, George Clinton and P-Funk, Papadosio and The Werks. The band is accomplishing a first this summer, though, as it will be hosting a festival of its own.
Mantrabash 2012 is a collaboration with Stanlee Ventures, the team behind Camp Barefoot Music and Arts Festival. The three-day event, happening June 21-23 at the High Country Motorcycle Camp in Ferguson, N.C., will feature three nights of The Mantras and music by "a bunch of other good bands," Powell said. The Mantrabash lineup includes Robert Walter Trio, Particle, Brothers Past and Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band and many more.
"[The festival] is at the base of the mountains in North Carolina. It's a beautiful place," Powell said. "It should be a fun time."
Mantrabash differs from other festivals because none of the artists will have overlapping sets. Local craft and food vendors will be selling items on site and the festival will have a family-friendly atmosphere.
VIP tickets and tickets to park an RV at the park for Mantrabash have already sold out, but two-day and three-day passes are still available for the festival. Advance prices are $55 for two days and $80 for three days. Prices will increase as the show date nears.
Powell said that playing a festival provides the band and the audience with a unique experience.
"In a festival, I get into it more," Powell said. "And anybody can drive out to the middle of nowhere, to the woods for music. It's a more committed crowd."
A plus to playing indoor shows, though?
"Air conditioning is nice," Powell said.
If you have to miss The Mantras' Columbia show because you'll be out of town for spring break, don't worry. The band has gigs in Charleston and Savannah, Ga., in the upcoming week, so if you're heading to either of those locations, you can catch a Mantras show. The band will play The Charleston Pour House on Tuesday March 6, and Savannah's Wormhole Bar on Wednesday, March 7.
Powell said The Mantras will likely return to play in Columbia in the fall.