Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel), Friday night at Liberty Hall
Jeff Mangum took to Liberty Hall’s stage Friday night looking like he’d just emerged from a long stint in the wilderness. He wore a thick, brown wool sweater, and his long beard and hair were hidden under a cap. The outfit suggested a man who does not wish to be recognized. That very well might be the case with Mangum, who is known for retreating from the music business following the release of his two albums as Neutral Milk Hotel. We soon learned that Mangum is traveling alone in a station wagon for this current tour, which also seemed to emphasize a desire to be left alone. Also, he does not like pictures, and he advertised his policy against them before and during the show. (His requests were, naturally, ignored by a handful of attendees.) So you will just have to imagine a mountain man in a brown sweater.
