Indie folk-rock band Mt. Joy traveled across the United States for their 2025 tour, “Hope We Have Fun.” Along their 40-stop tour, Mt. Joy took to the stage Tuesday night at The Armory in Minneapolis.
The five-member group — Matt Quinn (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Sam Cooper (lead guitar), Sotiris Eliopoulos (drums), Jackie Miclau (keyboards) and Michael Byrnes (bass) — went on tour in support of their senior album, “Hope We Have Fun.”
Their latest release is composed to express the turbulent emotions the members felt during their time on the road and the constant force that has kept them grounded: hope.
“We’ve spent three years touring the world with each other, going through so much together, far from home. Out of it comes an album that shows the band’s immense growth through the emotional lens of hope. The hope that we can stick together, that things in our lives don’t fall apart, and that in some distant end, it’s all worth it.” Quinn said in a Rolling Stone interview.
Throughout the show, Quinn shared glimpses into the stories behind Mt. Joy’s songs, some lighthearted and others deeply personal. One playful moment came as Quinn described the inspiration behind the band’s 2018 track “Cardinal,” a song written following a stay at Quinn’s family home.
“This next song is about being homesick,” Quinn said. “And was inspired by being stoned in my parents’ house and looking at the cardinals. You know they don’t fly home for the winter. I just had a high idea that maybe they got too stoned and missed the bus or something like that. All their boats are in Turks and Caicos, and they were just stuck in the winter.”
However, not all songs came to fruition through carefree memories. Quinn spoke honestly that “Lucy,” the seventh track on the band’s latest album, is in honor of a close friend diagnosed with multiple brain tumors. Despite a poor prognosis, she moved through life with vibrance and joy.
The song, composed to reflect her spirit, celebrates her love for life and the act of cherishing every moment with those closest.
Quinn continued to reflect on his time in hospitals and the most impactful lesson he learned from those he met.
In moments of hardship, Quinn said he witnessed people come together and nourish a collective humanity. The instinct that people will always show up for those they love in challenging times.
A message Quinn believes is important now more than ever.
“It feels as though, to me — and to us — that we’ve completely lost the plot on our own humanity, as a world and here in the United States,” Quinn said. “You stare at your phones and you see what is happening in Palestine, you see what is happening here in the United States and we know — I think it’s rooted in who we are that we know that’s bad. I don’t think that’s a political thing to watch people suffer.”
Quinn did not stop there.
Drawing from the band’s shared experiences, he spoke on their desire to create a space where joy and care could thrive even through difficult times. Mt. Joy encouraged audience members to live presently and connect with one another, and the crowd responded.
A notable moment of the night came in the band’s encore. They covered the 1984 iconic hit song “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus. In an uproar of excitement, couples danced, friends sang along in huddled groups and strangers cheered alongside each other.
The whole of The Armory shared in a moment of collective effervescence fueled by the raw vulnerability of Mt. Joy and their passionate music.
The night ended with roaring applause from fans, who shouted “Thank you!” and “We love you!” as Mt. Joy took their final bow. The band thanked the crowd endlessly and promised to return to Minnesota.
