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Philadelphia’s mewithoutYou travels across the country like a strange family of nomads in a forty foot bus fueled by vegetable oil.

Philadelphia’s mewithoutYou travels across the country like a strange family of nomads in a forty foot bus fueled by vegetable oil. City to city, night by night the band spreads a strange message of general goodwill towards all, made most apparent by vocalist Aaron Weiss and his strangely almost overly pleasant demeanor. Strange only because of a plethora of middle fingers on the highways, impatient looks at the Gap and a current absence of general goodwill in today’s world. Aaron stands at the edge of the stage at the New Brookland Tavern on a Sunday evening passing out bagels to the sweaty crowd packed into the club like sardines. Then he pulls out a fruit tray distributing pieces of canteloupe to the outstretched arms. The kids eat it up just like they do the songs.

It’s not your typical concert atmosphere but mewithoutYou isn’t your typical band. Weiss’ signature speak-sing tendencies will prevent you from ever confusing the band with another. Earlier that day as I step onto the bus as it’s parked behind the club I’m greeted by Penny, a rambunctious but friendly canine friend who travels with the band. Inside it’s how I would expect their small apartments in Philly to appear and feel. When the band purchased the bus they completely transformed and personalized the vehicle all the way from the vegetable oil conversion of the engine to the handmade cushions on the seats inside. Near the driver’s seat a huge box of broccoli sits and band members bustle around in the back while some are consumed behind their iBooks.

“We go to Chinese food places and pizza shops and ask if we can take their oil. They’re usually in black dumpsters. We call them black boys and you run a hose in there and it runs into a 140 gallon holding tank,” says drummer Rickie Mazzatto. It’s almost a daily process for the band which they refer to as ‘gathering’ like an ancient culture collecting berries just trying to survive.

“Every city we get to we scope out all the dumpsters and restaurants in the area,” says Aaron. Mazzatto explains that the conversion project was highly expensive while also incorporating a ton of hard work and that he “wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.” Although he is also quick to point out that the band managed to save over $7,000 during their first tour with the non diesel guzzling machine.

In addition, Aaron acknowledges that the country’s current dependence upon foreign oil was a motivating factor. “It’s something that I was super passionate about. Especially once we got this big bus that gets like five miles to the gallon. We’d be consuming thousands and thousands of gallons of diesel over it’s life,” says the vocalist.

mewithoutYou is pushing through the southeast on this Sabbath in support of their third full-length on Tooth & Nail Records. The success of the new record, Brother Sister is obvious. Tonight’s show at New Brookland marks the first time in years that a concert has sold out prior to the day of the show. The entire crowd rises and falls with each song proudly reciting Weiss’ spiritual poetry. The songs on Brother, Sister are crowd favorites despite a slightly different vibe than previous releases. It’s more orchestral and more mature.

“When we went into rehearsals before recording, we played all the songs acoustically and I knew we had a record that I would want to listen to. I just dig Aaron’s singing now. I love his lyrics and I’m really into Greg as a bassist,” says guitarist (and Aaron’s brother) Michael Weiss. “All things considered we actually spent less time in the writing process than either of the previous albums. However it is easily my favorite one yet. I think this album is the album I wanted to make with Catch [For Us the Foxes] but it didn’t quite get there.

Aaron definitely sees the new record reflecting the band’s maturation together. “With our first record when you listen back I never really listened to that type of music and I don’t know why it came out that way. Maybe that’s all we were capable at the time,” says the singer. For now, Aaron will be taking things one moment at a time. Tonight he’ll finish an interview, a dish of chicken fingers and he’ll play a show.

“I try to be grateful for what I have today. I don’t have any big plans,” he says, “I don’t want to be wishing for anything I just want to be content.”

Weiss is a free spirit and his bandmates know it.

“I feel that Aaron [one day] will just go off into the jungle. I don’t know what that dude is going to be doing but after this I have a feeling that I’ll never see him again,” says Mazzatto.