John Maus — Live on KEXP, Seattle, 2018

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Why this recording

Troy Nelson hosts John Maus in the KEXP studio on 23 January 2018; the video only came out in April. Nineteen minutes, four songs, from “Touchdown” as the opener to “Pets” as the closer. The technical crew is fully credited: Kevin Suggs on audio, Jim Beckmann, Scott Holpainen and Justin Wilmore on cameras, Scott Holpainen editing. For an artist whose records rest on synthesizers, this radio-station format provides a filmed trace of his songs played live.

— Simon Janvier, live-sound professional and editor of the catalogue

Recording technical sheet

Rights-holding channelKEXP
Source statusOfficial — broadcaster or organiser
Uploaded
Exact runtime
ResolutionHD (720p+)
Source qualityProfessional (multi-camera)

Metadata checked on YouTube on 29 September 2026; direction, camera setup and sound documented by the editors.

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Published on September 11, 2026 by Simon Janvier

Live session filmed on January 23, 2018 in the KEXP studio in Seattle. A cult figure of lo-fi synth-pop, American artist John Maus performs four songs — “Touchdown,” “Streetlight,” “…And the Rain” and “Pets” — in a full-band arrangement that gives flesh to his usually highly synthetic compositions. A former collaborator of Ariel Pink and a PhD in political philosophy, Maus cultivates a melancholy pop, bathed in reverb and new-wave pads, carried on stage by a singular vocal intensity. Captured with KEXP’s customary care, this performance grasps the tension between the coldness of the machines and the artist’s physical commitment. Keywords: John Maus live, KEXP, synth-pop, pop, live performance 2018.

Setlist

  1. Touchdown
  2. Streetlight
  3. ...And the Rain
  4. Pets

Personnel & credits

  • John Maus — vocals, keyboards
Category

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