Alt duo MISSIO rocks Mercury Lounge in NYC – 3/12/25

Electronic duo MISSIO never fails to impress.

Review and Photo by Emily “Emol” McCormack –

MISSIO announced their I Am Cinco North American Tour in late November, supporting their fifth studio album “I Am Cinco” in May 2024.  

MISSIO were one of those bands that got me through the rough parts of the COVID-19 pandemic. While it was a troubling time for everyone, they made sure that their fans knew that they were never alone. They released a great documentary titled “Love Me Whole” in May of 2020, giving a behind the scenes look into the process of creating their 2018 album The Darker The Weather // The Better The Man. The description reads: “May this documentary encourage you to create art in this time of global uncertainty. We love you and are grateful for you.” I remember laughing and crying alongside this video… MISSIO never fails to give me hope.

With all of this in mind, I knew I was in for a fantastic night of great music surrounded by a great crowd. 

I had the pleasure of meeting the one and only Matthew Brue and David Butler in VIP before the show. They were so kind and appreciative of their fans. They dedicated plenty of time to everyone in the VIP session, talking to everyone individually (and formally introducing themselves to each and every person!). Those who suggest never meeting your idols are clearly meeting the wrong people. 

Starting off the night strong was Layto’s fantastic opening act. That standout song from his set was his 2024 single “IOU.” Although he didn’t do his “most popular” song “Little Poor Me,” I’m glad that I was exposed to more of his songs. His music is a perfect pairing with that of MISSIO’s, and he quickly made a new fan in me!.  

As the crew paired down Layto’s set and started preparing for MISSIO, the setlist was taped to the ground right in front of me. Some people in the crowd didn’t want to look and preferred being surprised… but I needed to know what was to come… and MISSIO prepared some magic in this setlist. 

 

They started the set off strong with their 2020 single “Wolves.” One of the more intense singles off their album Can You Feel The Sun, I genuinely can’t think of a better song of theirs that would hype up a crowd like it did. Following this up with tracks like “F— it,” “I Don’t Even Care About You,” and “Vagabond” kept the audience pumped. 

The song I was most excited about was “Aztec Death Whistle” from their latest album. This was a clear standout for me– I love how it just sort of screams in your face.  

The MISSIO audience is always an interesting smattering of people, anywhere from a couple of younger kids, to parents having a night out– I noticed some twenty one pilots and some Set It Off merchandise among the crowd just to name a couple. 

Vocalist Matthew Brue made a note of how everyone should leave their politics and their problems at the door – because in this room, we are all united by our love for the band, and love for music. I wish it was this simple outside of this moment at Mercury Lounge… but for a handful of songs, it was relieving. 

One of my favorite parts of the band’s discography is their Skeletons series of EP’s, a small collection of stripped back versions of their other songs. These projects really showcase their songwriting abilities and the incredible vocals of Matthew Brue, in a different way than their original tracks. I fell in love with their Skeletons: Part 2 version of “Kamikazee” from 2018, solidifying their music in my top favorite songs of all time. The pair just released their Skeletons: Part 4 stripped version of their 2019 single “I See You” and their cover of Deftones’ “Cherry Waves.”

 

Their stripped rendition of “Can You Feel The Sun” was magical. This song stood in contrast with the rest of the set, with the lights going down and Brue standing on the platform, just him and his guitar. I try not to record too many concert sets nowadays, hoping to force myself to live in the moment a bit more… but I knew I needed this moment forever. 

I love this part of Mercury Lounge – Where you get the opportunity to be a part of a truly intimate show. Whether you’re smacking your knees up against the front of the stage, or bopping along in the back of the house, everyone has a chance to be up close and personal with the music. 

The set’s closing songs were some of my all-time favorites. Starting with “KDV” (Killing Darth Vader) always goes hard. (Maybe it’s also because I giggle about the backstory, I’ve just always found it funny.) 

Closing the night with “Middle Fingers” was a no-brainer to me. Seeing everyone in the venue united by sticking one finger in the air for the whole song is so much fun… it doesn’t matter who anyone was dedicating that motion towards, at this moment we are all sticking it to the man! Or the whoever. 

The strangest part of the night was that this show was considered an “early show” because Mercury Lounge had another performance starting at 9 pm. Unfortunately, this meant that the set had to be cut short. (Compared to past set lists on this tour, we lost songs like “Underground,” “Fall Into A Black Hole,” and “I See You,” which was particularly devastating considering their then upcoming release of their stripped version of that track.) 

Though I was a bit disappointed knowing that we could have had a few more songs in the set, the band still gave us an amazing, dynamic night. Everything from the up-beat energy of “Twisted” and “Rad Drugz,” to the early days of “Bottom Of The Deep Blue Sea,” and the chill vibes with “Can You Feel The Sun” and “Villain” (well, perhaps just the first half of that one). This set had a perfect blend of everything MISSIO’s discography has to offer!

I can’t wait to see what is next in store for all things MISSIO! Here’s to hoping they make another stop nearby on their next tour… 

 

MISSIO continue their I Am Cinco North American Tour for just a few more days! Check out the final dates of their tour here, and keep up with them via @missiomusic on socials!