Grooving with the Mountain Goats
Four men in suits ran on stage, looking like a band of dads hurrying from a business meeting to this gig.
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For a second I wondered what I was getting myself into. Then I felt the pulse of the bass and heard the hearty strums of a guitar.
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On Wednesday, April 18, the Mountain Goats graced the Higher Ground in South Burlington, which although not quite sold out, was packed.
![](https://vtcynic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/mountainGoats4-475x407.jpg)
While the Mountain Goats may look tame at a glance, their indie-folk sound is heavily influenced by the goth, punk and metal bands that lead singer John Darnielle listened to in his youth, according to a 2017 Noisey interview.
![](https://vtcynic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/mountainGoats2-475x317.jpg)
The band was formed in 1991 by Darnielle and has since released 16 full-length albums, most recently “Goths”, which was released May 19, 2017.
![](https://vtcynic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/mountainGoats5-475x317.jpg)