April Showers 4/19/25: Mt. Joy Lifts JPJ and takes it to a better place.
“We’d fly into the space between the lies we told and find the good in every soul is all connected energy...”
– Mt. Joy, Lemontree
That one lyric says it all. Connection, energy, and the hope that even in all the mess, there’s something unbreakable between us. It’s one of the most powerful things Mt. Joy brings to the table, and on Saturday night at John Paul Jones Arena on grounds at UVA, they brought it in full force.
They connected with all of us, and they brought the energy.
Mt. Joy’s lyrics are messy and human, just like the rest of us. They’re vulnerable too, maybe in the way some of us try to be, but rarely fully are. There’s pain, but there’s also joy, and hope. They united the JPJ crowd, at least they did me, with this feeling of, “It’s ok, guys. Let’s all just be us, and go where we’re going…together.”
Frontman Matt Quinn put it simply: “If your feet are here, you might as well dance.”
In typical Cville Soundcheck fashion, we kicked things off with a pregame. This time, not at a bar, but at Eli and Anna’s: margaritas, cervezas, delicious eats, and a vibe that already felt like something special was coming. Big crew for this one: Kelly, Jeremy, Eli, Anna, Ryan, Ashley, Sunny, Atticus, Sarah (Ms. Bazz), and me. Because if you can’t share music with the ones you love, what else even matters? That’s what this is all about.
For a while now, I’ve called JPJ “church.” As a UVA alum and diehard Hoos fan, I’ve been to countless games under that roof. I’ve also seen too many unforgettable shows to count. From Billy Joel to Elton John to Mumford and Sons to Nine Inch Nails to Chris Stapleton and many in between. Whether through music or sport, JPJ has brought me joy, energy, and togetherness. Church, for me, isn’t pews and pulpits, it’s people and passion.
That’s what JPJ has always brought. That’s what this night with Mt. Joy became about.
A spring Saturday night in Charlottesville is usually a special time, blooms around town, temps warming up, drinks on patios. As April rolls on, we’re deep into our April Showers, a month full of incredible music across our little town. Mt. Joy at JPJ? No exception.
The show marked the kickoff of their tour, but if there were any first-show jitters, we never saw them. From the moment the band hit the stage, it didn’t feel like a tour beginning. It felt like a triumphant homecoming. Charlottesville showed up big, and the band felt it.
Formed in 2016, Mt. Joy is fronted by Matt Quinn (vocals, guitar) and Sam Cooper (guitar), joined by Sotiris Eliopoulos on drums, Jackie Miclau on keys, and Michael Byrnes on bass. They played 26 songs over two sets and an encore, including three covers that absolutely hit. No opener. Just Mt. Joy, start to finish, with an intermission to catch our collective breath.
Set one opened with Julia and closed with a solo version of Cardinal, Matt quietly offering,
“And whatever you’re supposed to be. Whatever that’s supposed to mean. I just wanted you to know that you don't have to come clean to me.”
They debuted both Pink Lady and God Loves Weirdos, two tracks off the new album Hope We Have Fun dropping next month.
Set two slayed, with Lemontree, Mt. Joy, Let Loose, Silver Lining, and more. The crowd was fully in it, dancing and singing along. Their covers of the Grateful Dead’s Casey Jones and Wheatus’ Teenage Dirtbag were a blast, and the encore, Sweet Virginia by the Stones and Astrovan, was the perfect sendoff.
Mt. Joy’s rise has been completely organic. Two Philly guys who ended up in LA. Quinn has said, “It was just one of those cool, serendipitous life moments where a person that I’d been making music with in high school ended up in the same city as me, and I didn’t really know anybody else ... Just because we love music we were getting together and writing together." They may have some West Coast polish now, but they’ve still got that East Coast grit.
The band started as a side project between Quinn and Cooper, and blew up after uploading Astrovan to Spotify. No label. No hype. Just honest music that found its audience. They recorded it with bassist Michael Byrnes, whom they met on Craigslist. When Sheep, their second single, gained traction, they added drummer Sotiris Eliopoulos and keyboardist Jackie Miclau to the mix.
Can we talk about Jackie for a second?
At one point during the show, I turned to Sarah and said, “I think that my favorite instrument in a band these days is the keys.” Maybe it was because the keys are just so damn cool, but more likely it’s because Miclau is pure magic on them. Hair flying, body moving with the music, totally in the zone, Jackie is Mt. Joy’s secret weapon.
She doesn’t just play the keys, she sculpts the entire atmosphere.
With a classical background, trained in piano from a young age, she brings technical precision and emotional sensitivity to everything she plays. But what’s truly wild is how she balances that with improvisational flair and rock and roll swagger. Taking center stage during instrumental breaks — like those dreamy jams in Silver Lining or Sheep — and then pulling back at just the right moment to support Matt’s vocals or Sam’s guitar lines. Jackie is a beast.
Now, back to the band…
That underdog spirit they started with still defines them. Their songs aren’t flashy, they’re real. They blend indie rock, folk, and Americana into something that feels both familiar and brand new. On stage, they evolve. The songs expand, the energy multiplies. There’s a generosity in their performance, a sense that we’re all part of something bigger.
On Saturday, Mt. Joy brought a swagger that leaned more rock and roll than some might expect. With keys driving the groove and a loose, confident vibe, they channeled the spirit, for me, of The Black Crowes — tight musicianship, and just the right touch of attitude. Maybe it’s because they’ll be back in the area this summer playing with the Crowes at FloydFest, or maybe it’s just because they’re a damn good rock and roll band. But while the sound leaned rock, the heart of the night was connection and energy.
The feeling in the room was communal, almost spiritual, like No Shoes Nation — but in flannel and Doc Martens.
Charlottesville’s music scene is discerning, but fiercely loyal. We’ve been lucky, this town has seen legends and locals alike light up stages big and small, from sweaty dive bars to sold out arenas. But we don’t give our love away too easily. You’ve got to earn it.
On Saturday night, Mt. Joy didn’t just show up, they gave us everything. Song after song, story after story, they peeled it all back. They danced with us through the joy, the chaos, the longing, the hope. They let the music breathe and swell and carry us somewhere else, somewhere better, somewhere we wanted and needed to go. And we went there, together.
Mt. Joy didn’t just play for Charlottesville, they played with Charlottesville.
By the time they walked off that stage, it wasn’t just a tour kickoff anymore. It was something deeper. They didn’t just feel like one of our own, they were. And next time they come back, it’ll feel less like a band visiting town and more like old friends coming home.
Keep the beat,
Bazz
