MonoNeon: Under the Spell

THE SHOW

MonoNeon 

THE VENUE

Blue Note Los Angeles, a swanky sit-down spot that seats 200

THE DATE

February 9, 2026

THE SETLIST

Set 1: “Jelly Roll,” “Party,” “Basquiat & Skittles,” “Hot Cheetos,” “
Better Days,” “Under the Spell
,” “Invisible.” 

Set 2: “Jelly Roll,” “Party,” “Basquiat
 & Skittles,” “Stereo
,” “Tell Me If This Is Love
,” “Wish You Well
,” “Life is Glittery Fuckery”

THE BAND

MonoNeon, bass; Xavier Lynn, guitar; Jackie Whitmill Jr., drums; Dominique Xavier, keys

THE MUSIC

The first set started with a drum solo, then keys and guitar. There was tasty playing by everyone, and the band was fonky as hell. Mono came out and fit right into the situation: Thunderous lows and highs, crisp and clear, rocking his signature DigiTech Whammy 5 pedal for quick asides and as a feature during solos.

The band worked together as a smooth unit, having fun, smiling, and maintaining eye contact. Dynamics weren’t extreme, but they were right on the money. The joy on the band members’ faces was inspiring. They couldn’t see Mono’s face, of course, but they watched him intently for hand signals that communicated solos, repeats, and the top of the form. Everyone got a chance to solo, and the energy never lagged. It was a ferocious, action-packed, one-hour set that left us breathless. It was so damn nasty that my face seemed permanently scrunched up. No wonder Prince liked Mono!

THE VIBE

Pretty lively for a Monday night, though it was sad to see people looking at their phones and/or not dancing.

THE BACKSTAGE

A starry constellation that included everyone from Women of the Blues founder Lyn Orman and Nth Power drummer Nikki Glaspie to ’80s pop icon Rick Springfield and studio guitar badass Tim Pierce came to the dressing room to say hello. Mono was gracious. The mood was joyous. I got to tell each member of the band how much I loved their playing. 

We reminisced about the Bass Player story I’d done on Mono years ago and chatted about his signature Fender Jazz 5, which was heavy, just the way he likes it. I told him I had a Fender Modern Player Jazz 5, and he confirmed that his bass was basically an 18-volt, active version of the Modern Player with custom Fireball humbuckers and Dunlop SuperBrights. A couple times during the show, it seemed that Mono was still dialing in his tone, and he confessed to wanting more snap without resorting to turning up the treble on his EBS rig. When I told him the band was sounding good and congratulated him for maintaining high standards, he thanked me but said it was still a work in progress. “I’m trying my best!”

THE VIDEOS