Mipso Up, Windows Down: Four Shows We’ll Never Forget.
They said they’re pressing pause. Not slamming the brakes. Not peeling off into the distance. Just pulling over for a while, stepping out of the van to stretch, breathe, and remember why the ride mattered in the first place.
And for those of us who rode shotgun—who left shows with our cheeks hurting from singing along (or screaming along)—we’ve got memories etched deep enough to hold us over until that engine revs again.
So here are four Mipso moments we’ll carry with us, like a dog-eared map tucked in the glovebox.
Mipso at Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC – August 26, 2016
You never forget your first.
It was a humid Raleigh night, and I’d come to see Mipso with Look Homeward opening—but I didn’t know I was about to have one of those music moments, the kind that brands itself into your chest. It was my first time hearing songs I already knew by heart played live by the folks who wrote and recorded them. And that hits different. That stays with you.
Dark Holler Pop is one of those rare, no-filler gems—good from front to back—and it’s still in my regular rotation all these years later. That night at the Lincoln made it all feel personal. The harmonies, the energy, the crowd that leaned in with every note—it felt like being let in on a secret you already somehow knew by heart.
That’s when I realized Mipso wasn’t just a band I liked. This was a band I’d follow
Mipso at the North Carolina Museum of Art – Raleigh, NC – May 6, 2017
That evening was dipped in gold. You don’t forget a show where the breeze moves like it’s in tune and the art around you seems to hum along. Mipso played beneath the spring sky in a setting built for beauty—where the walls and trees listen back.
It was more than a concert. It was proof that a band could blend into a place so seamlessly you’d swear they were painted there, like a landscape meant to be admired and felt. Notes floated like brushstrokes. Harmonies echoed off sculpture.
And for a moment, the art we saw and the art we heard lived in the same breath.
Mipso at LAND JAM – Raleigh, NC – November 17, 2017
Even indoors, the spirit of the wild found its way in. This acoustic session raised awareness for public lands, and the stripped-down sound matched the cause: honest, real, and close to the roots.
It felt like a campfire circle had been folded into four walls—warmth without flames, stories without pretense. A reminder that the best things worth protecting—whether forests or friendships or fiddles—need a little attention and a lot of love.
They didn’t need a light show. The cause, the chords, and that Carolina heart did just fine.
Mipso at the Save The Pinhook Secret Show – Durham, NC – January 28, 2016
But nothing, nothing, will ever touch the night we sprinted toward a whisper.
They were in town for a sold-out show at A.J. Fletcher. We hadn’t scored tickets. We were working out of town. But the second that secret show dropped—we were on the road.
Two hours one way, hearts pounding like a kick drum, hoping the doors wouldn’t close before we made it. And then suddenly, we were inside the Pinhook, shoulder to shoulder with the lucky few who heard the same rumor.
They walked on like a surprise party in reverse—no frills, just fire. It was packed, sweaty, imperfect, and absolutely magic. Mipso at their most unfiltered: playful, present, and playing like they had something to prove (even though they didn’t).
You never forget a show like that. You just carry it with you, forever humming.
Art and music have always gone hand in hand for Mipso, and their 2016 Fall Tour perfectly captured this synergy. The vibrant glow-in-the-dark posters by Alex Lahr not only showcased the band’s visual aesthetic but also reflected the energy of their live shows—blending music and art into one seamless, immersive experience.
Some bands play songs. Mipso gave us something closer to a soundtrack for who we were becoming. They made spaces feel sacred, made music that met us where we were, and reminded us that harmony—real harmony—is a choice you make together. What a gift it’s been to witness that, to hum along, to be changed in the process.
So Mipso,
We got a feeling there’s still gas in the tank, enjoy your pit stop.
Thanks for the motion, meaning, and music that felt like home.
See you in the fall, one last lap, windows down, singing loud. 💡🖤
Mipos Farewell For Now Tour Dates
