"We've got quite a set here," announced MUTEMATH vocalist and keyboardist Paul Meany. "We've been around for eight years. That's a lot of songs to choose from!"

Quite a set it was.

Making an unconventional entrance from the back of the venue with instruments and Christmas lights in tow, the New Orleans electro-alt rock band went on to do a little face-melting for the packed house at Ace of Spades Wednesday night.

The Grammy-nominated four-piece put on a sonic and visual spectacle, covering a massive setlist over more than two hours and sampling a bit from all their studio albums and EPs, including all 13 songs from their latest release, 2011's "Odd Soul."

Aided by tons of frantic, colorful lights and visuals projected on a backdrop, Meany channeled Sting and Coldplay's Chris Martin as he banged on his upright pianos, while new guitarist Todd Gummerman and bassist Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas got nasty on their guitars. Drummer Darren King is one-man show, well known for his relentless energy (and ear protection taped to his head) and pounding skins so hard he broke a snare mid-song.

The band took the energy created on stage and brought into the crowd, too. During the second half of the show, Meany and King played their instruments in the middle of the audience on a small "stage," and Meany went for a ride on a black inflatable raft with lights that was passed from one end of the room to the other on a sea of outstretched hands.

The show's uplifting vibe even inspired one fan to jump on stage, do a backflip and dive back into the crowd as quickly as he had appeared.

Heard outside as I was walking back to my car: "That was the most amazing show I've ever been to!" 

MUTEMATH guitarist Todd Gummerman (Image by: Steven Chea) (L-R) MUTEMATH bassist Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas, vocalist and keyboardist Paul Meany, and drummer Darren King. (Image by: Steven Chea)

(L-R) MUTEMATH guitarist Todd Gummerman and vocalist and keyboardist Paul Meany. (Image by: Steven Chea) MUTEMATH vocalist and keyboardist Paul Meany. (Image by: Steven Chea)