Of Montreal In New York

I made a quick trip to the New York City area to see the band Of Montreal in concert. I went with Carl. Despite the continued pain in my foot, I didn't mind standing for hours in the Roseland watching this band. Their recent album Hissing Fauna Are You The Destroyer? ranked among my recent favorites and their stage show was reputedly legendary. They certainly didn't disappoint. The set was made of these lighted blocks that would light up "Billy Jean" style as performers walked over them. Screens in the back mixed animation with video of the band playing. Non-musician performers (a guy in a tiger mask and a guy in a top hat) added a theatrical element, sometimes interacting with the band like when one mimed a sword-fight with the lead singer.

Of course, what made the show great was what generally makes shows great. The band played well and the audience was enthusiastic, singing and dancing along with their favorite tunes. It was the shared experience, enjoying the Of Montreal's music with a bunch of other fans.

Besides taking you there, the best way to illustrate their stage show is through pictures, so here they are.


The top hat guy:
The tiger mask guy:

The band, the stage and the screens:


The sword fight:

A rock star pose on top of the catwalk:

One of the opening bands was really good. After the show Carl gave me their album. They're called MGMT and their sound mixes traditional rock with dance elements. Listen for yourself:

mp3: "Electric Feet" by MGMT

October 19, 2007 Addendum

This show received some decent internet coverage. Check out fluxblog and prefixmag. This show was also bootlegged (with the band's permission) by nyctaper.