Mastodon pulled another sneaky one in their hometown, and it ruled. Last night the Atlanta metal titans hit the Earl under their alias Big Hairy Elephant, the same trick they used for a warmup back in 2024. This time they brought a friend. Baroness frontman John Baizley joined them onstage for a set stacked with live debuts and deep-cut rarities.
For a band that built its legend on sprawling epics like Leviathan and the psychedelic sludge of Crack the Skye, an intimate club show is a rare gift. Small room, low ceiling, the "Blood and Thunder" riffs bouncing off the walls. That is the kind of moment fans travel across states for.
The setlist reached back through the catalog, dusting off tracks that rarely make the big rooms. Baizley trading vocals with Brann and Troy? A killer collision of Georgia's finest.
Warmups like this signal a band still hungry, still testing the fire before the tour proper. Catch them loud while you can.