Jack Penate & Miike Snow @ Mercury Lounge, NYC

Miike Snow played two sold out shows at Mercury Lounge last week, alternating the headlining position with Jack Penate. Tuesday night kicked off the consecutive night run with Miike Snow up first. Six white-masked band members walked on stage, one by one, wearing matching shiny maroon jackets to form a brilliant ensemble. Mid-”Black & Blue,” the second song of the evening, the masks came off to a cheering crowd. The sound was crisp and clear and the eclectic delivery of drums, mixers, keyboard and guitars came together brilliantly. Andrew Wyatt, Pontus Winnberg and Christian Karlson delivered an outstanding set, despite front man Andrew Wyatt confessing: "I have a cold. I'm starting to eat more produce. No more cheese crackers for me.” His voice sounded as good as ever, confirming that the Swedish indie electro band is as infectious live as they are recorded. While "Animal," one of the more popular tracks, had the crowd dancing and singing along, other hits like "Burial" and "Silvia" were equally as captivating, reinstating the emotional angle of the electro-pop tracks. Rumored artists in the crowd on Tuesday night included Lykke Li and Adele. Lykke Li was seen walking past the bar in a hurry to catch the beginning of Jack Penate, while Adele was already parked front row for the performance, yawning occasionally in between mouthing the words to the fellow Londoner's songs. With 30+ shows from now until Thanksgiving, Miike Snow will continue a North American tour before heading overseas to Europe, with stops in the UK, Amsterdam, Denmark, and Germany, among others, and the final show of the tour in their native Stockholm. (Steph Lund & Kristin Connor / forthebeat)