Seattle’s Minus the Bear brings auditory amusement to Farrand Field

Despite a dreary afternoon and uncharacteristically cool temperatures on Saturday, Program Council’s Welcome Fest went forward as planned, and CU freshman came out in droves to see Seattle indie act Minus the Bear play a free concert on Farrand Field.

After releasing their self-produced album “Menos el Oso”, in August of last year, Minus the Bear has been touring relentlessly in support of their album that many critics have deemed a departure from the band’s previous style and attitude.

“We really enjoyed producing our own album,” said Minus the Bear frontman Jake Snider. “It worked out really well.”

Minus the Bear draws from influences that run the gamut of musical taste to produce their unmistakable sound.

“We’re influenced by pretty much everything we hear,” said Alex Rose, who is the most recent addition to the band. “Sometimes, I hear something I don’t like and I think I don’t want to sound like that.”

Regardless of their diverse musical tastes, Rose mentioned that sometimes he just gets sick of sound.

“Sometimes I don’t like music. I just want nothing,” said Rose.

However, the Welcome-Fest crowd couldn’t get enough music as soon as Minus the Bear took the stage on Saturday night.

The band perfectly reproduced their unique studio sound and added an element that kept the crowd wanting more no matter how many songs had already been performed.

After Minus the Bear finished their set and left the stage, Farrand Field echoed with cries for more until the band reappeared. The roar grew louder and louder, only to be silenced by a two-song encore, which left the crowd wanting even more.

When a band like Minus the Bear puts such a huge amount of passion into their live performances ? whether it’s a free show on the quad or a sold-out evening at a large theater ? the result can only be something spectacular.