MISSIO – LIVE AT THE SPACE BALLROOM – HAMDEN
Photo credit: Timothy Saccenti.
By Ralph Beauchamp
The genre bending duo, Missio, composed of Matthew Brue (Vocalist/Multi-Instrumentalist/Producer) and David Butler (Engineer/Multi-Instrumentalist/Producer) brought their “I Am Cinco” headlining tour to the Space Ballroom in Hamden, CT. Missio is by far one of my favorite artists because of the immense talent both members bring to the table. Their music is innovative and provocative at the same time. They mix musical genres with simple ease. The transcendent nature of their sound captures my soul in a myriad of ways. Missio‘s latest release is the ambitious album, I Am Cinco, which encompasses 5 EPs and has an amazing 26 tracks. Every song delivers its own flavor and feel. Brue and Butler are plainly musical geniuses.
Missio brought their live show to the intimate setting of the Space Ballroom which was a perfect choice. The Space Ballroom is a smallish venue where a close interaction between the artist and their audience can easily be achieved. The act is staring squarely at their fans’ faces. Missio took full advantage of this scenario. Brue and Butler controlled both the stage and the room with their unbridled enthusiasm. On tour with Brue and Butler were Joey Castro (Drums) and Scott Graham (Guitar/Keys). Both musicians carried the day but Castro had to be one of the hardest hitter I’ve seen. At times, I was totally fixated.
The set started with one of my favorite Missio songs, “Wolves”. The tune definitely laid down the framework for the rest of the show. Brue bounced around the stage capturing everyone’s attention. Butler followed suit. Right from the very beginning, Missio cranked with the utmost zeal. “Fuck It”, “I Don’t Even Care About You” and “Vagabond” came next and the house was loving it. Brue and Butler controlled the crowd with their onstage appeal. “Underground”, “Good Vibrations” and “Rad Drugz”, “Villain”, all preceded another fave of mine, “Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea” which had everyone grooving to the vibe.
Brue definitely connected to the audience when he spoke about mental and social issues. He was totally relatable discussing his personal demons and he hoped everyone has the ability to overcome their struggles. His poignant remarks rang true. The song that most epitomized his concerns was “I Sing” which brings him back to his child self. The audience truly felt his emotional exposures.
The last part of the set had the crowd in a musical frenzy. “Everybody Gets High” ran into “Twisted”, “KDV” and “Fall Into A Black Hole”. The final song was an amazing rendition of “Middle Finger”. Obviously, the whole house had their middle fingers up as a show of support and strangely, love. Missio‘s entire performance was flawless. Everyone left satisfied with twisted smile on their faces. If you ever have a chance, don’t miss Missio. It’s a complete immersive experience.
If you want a little more insight into Missio, check out our interview with Brue and Butler published in early 2024 and linked below in related posts.
To learn more about Missio, check out their Website
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As you know, MISSIO is one of my favorite acts too, and I’ve sadly never seen them live. I was scheduled to see them in L.A. in 2022, but Matthew came down with Covid so they had to cancel the show. They eventually rescheduled to another date, but it was during the week and I couldn’t make it.
They were great. It’s a shame they didn’t come out after the show to greet their fans.