BY ROD HANSEN
Mook may be best known as the indie rock band led by Paul Dano, the actor who portrayed Dwayne in the 2006 comedy “Little Miss Sunshine.”
However, the whole band received a rock star’s welcome prior to a recent appearance at the local teen center Crispin’s House.
Despite Dano’s movie stardom, nothing about this four-piece contains any “Hollywood” elements. Everything from CD production to the booking of its local engagements reflects a grassroots sensibility in keeping with the current age of electronic democracy.
“I got to know about Mook through their MySpace page, and I thought it would be good to get them a show up here,” said Emma Pancoast, 17.
Pancoast, a Goffstown High School senior, already had behind-the-scenes experience in the music industry through her mother, local children’s songwriter and entertainer Judy Pancoast, for whom she has played roles ranging from roadie to booking agent.
After making contact with the band through their MySpace page, Emma Pancoast was able to secure Mook concerts at Crispin’s House and the Sad Cafe in Plaistow, where they played on Friday, March 9.
Members of Mook said they appreciated Emma’s support in helping them spread their fan base.
“Emma was reaching out and asking how she could help us, even before we started asking people to help us find shows on our blog,” said Dan Kreiger, 22, who plays keyboards in the New York-based band.
The band’s first meeting with Emma and Judy Pancoast came on March 3, when Judy had a performance at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan.
“It was great to meet them. They’re really nice and humble,” said Emma.
Members of Mook settled into the Pancoast home seamlessly on Sunday, March 11, as they used Emma’s basement bedroom as an ad-hoc practice studio for the evening’s performance.
The Crispin’s House appearance marks one of several stops Mook is making to promote its self-produced EP, “The Eggs,” which they recorded in the attic of Dano’s parent’s home in Wilton, Conn.
Playing weekend shows like those at Crispin’s fits in well with the band’s schedule, as three of Mook’s four members are students. Dano, 22, majors in English literature at the New School in New York’s Greenwich Village.
Kreiger, 22, attends New York University, and drummer Chris “Gus” Johnson majors in music performance at Western Connecticut State University. Bass guitarist Rob Bruce, 25, lives and works in Wilton, Conn., where all band members attended high school.
Dano, Kreiger and Johnson had played together recreationally in high school, though all three agree they never achieved a cohesive sound until Bruce joined the group. The name “Mook” came at the suggestion of Dano’s roommate, Mike Clancy.
“A ‘mook’ is an insignificant person, someone who doesn’t think too much of themselves,” said Clancy.
The band cites their influences as ranging from ”Beethoven to Biggie (Smalls),” but point to no group in particular as a role model.
However, the music hall sound of their Crispin’s House performance and “The Eggs” EP shows the group spanning decades of keyboard-driven art rock from The Doors to The Dresden Dolls.
A buzz of excitement greeted the band prior to their Crispin’s House show, with group members particularly happy to see a “Welcome Mook” sign outside the venue.
“People are excited about this concert, and members of the band can’t believe they have fans waiting for them here,” said Laurie Hambleton, executive director of Crispin’s House.
Ben Macon, who coordinates the concert series at Crispin’s House, said he also promoted the show by handing out fliers advertising the concert.
Macon’s own band, The Yellow Team, opened for Mook at the concert, with Macon playing guitar and singing for that band.
More information about Mook is available at their MySpace page, www.myspace.com/mookband.