Animal Collective @ First Avenue

For a band as sonically precise and inventive in the studio as Animal Collective, it must certainly be a challenge to the three members of the band to try and replicate that imaginative sound in a live setting. Some nuances of their “headphone music” are bound to get lost amid the pounding bass and general din of a packed nightclub, and some songs that sound absolutely transcendent on record just don’t translate as well to a live show. And last night at a sold-out First Avenue, those complications were audible during an uneven set where it seemed that every euphoric high was often met with equally mundane lows, but overall I think the kids went home happy.

The show started out positively before the band even played a note, as the screen rose to reveal the shrouded decks and the band’s shrouded decks and keyboards, as well as a giant white ball hovering overhead, all while the entirety of Hüsker Dü’s “Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely” played loudly over the speakers. It’s certainly good to know your audience, which I commend the band for, however most of the extremely young crowd on the floor (it was an all-ages show) probably had no idea who was singing or what was so significant about the choice. I certainly can’t fault them, though, for their boundless dancing and energy proved to be one of the highlights of the show, and certainly helped to keep the spirit level high in the club, even when the set hit some lulls.

After “Lonely” finished, the band strolled on stage, with Geologist (Brian Weitz) getting behind his decks on the left of the stage, Avey Tare (David Portner) picked up a guitar and took his place center stage, and Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) set up on the right side, and the band eased into the delicate, sprawling majesty of “Chocolate Girl” from their 2000 debut Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished. The band considerably reworked the familiar mayhem of “You Could Win A Rabbit,” almost to the point of unrecognizablility, slowing it down a bit, and adding more driving bass and electronic elements. It was the first of many sonic experiments the band would try on this evening, but at least for me, I prefer the acoustic chaos of the recorded version.

Going into the night, I was most excited to hear how the Merriweather Post Pavilion material would go over live, since it is one of my favorite records of the year so far. So, when the distinct strains of “Summertime Clothes” kicked in, the show really took off in my opinion, and the main floor became awash with pogoing kids and flailing bodies. And, combined with the 90+ degree temperatures for the day and the subject matter of the song, “Clothes” really became an ebullient celebration of warmer days ahead and the power of music. It was an early highlight of the show, and was really the spark the show needed. The band kept the momentum going with three more MPP tracks; the percussive, dynamic “Guys Eyes,” with Panda Bear’s live drumming giving the song a more organic intensity, the layered madness of “Lion In A Coma,” which suffered a bit from the booming bass drowning out the intricate nuances of the track, and finally, “Also Frightened,” which is my favorite track from the new record. It also suffered a bit from the overwhelming, thunderous low-end, which seemed to dominate the track, and robbed the song of the sinister nightmare of the recorded version. But it was still a swirling, transfixing performance of one of my favorite songs of the year.

The band’s light show was an appealing addition to the performance, with the sheets covering the band’s gear glowing continually as the music swelled. And there were projections aimed at the white globe overhead, which also added a cool visual element to the set, especially when a corner of the projections would make it to the large MPP cover art on the back of the stage, creating a cool crescent moon of images and lights throughout the show on the already psychedelic design. Since the band doesn’t really get up to much on stage, often with all three guys bent over their gear, tweaking knobs and buttons, the stellar lighting was a nice touch.

The second half of the set was a bit hit or miss for me, with the band really stretching out on some of their more challenging material, as well as playing a brand new song that has the working title of “Blue Sky.” For me, Animal Collective’s music resonates a bit more when there is a human element to the sound, and someone is actually playing an instrument, as opposed to the straight electronic knob twisting that was featured during the experimental second half of the set. Some of the music comes off as being a bit antiseptic when they rely solely on their samples and loops, and the repetitive beats of the tracks end up sounding alike as a result. “Chores” was a nice addition to the set, but the slower end to the song was dragged out a bit too long, and the original zeal of the track started to wane a bit, as did the set.

But we all received a jolt of energy and inspiration with the glorious “My Girls,” which proved to be the unquestionable highlight of the set. The song is just so high-spirited and bubbly, and ridiculously catchy. The packed club sang along loudly with the band, as the main floor bounced in time to the hypnotic beat. It was a blissful, jubilant moment, and certainly represents everything that is good about Animal Collective; the over the top optimism found in their entrancing, exuberant songs that not only have the ability to transport you somewhere pleasant but can unify and animate a disparate audience. It was a beautiful musical moment, and certainly made me wish that some of the other material played throughout the set was that absorbing.

Strawberry Jam‘s “Fireworks” closed out the main set on a bit of a meandering note, as the band really experimented sonically during the track, and Tare’s lyrics were a bit drowned out. The encore was a mixed bag for me, with the band wandering a bit, sound wise, before closing things out strongly at the end. Another new song, tentatively titled “Bleed” kicked off the encore slowly, with the track being a slow burning experiment in sound. But things picked up a bit with the frantic “Slippi” from 2003′s Here Comes The Indian. And that energy carried over into the set closer “Brother Sport,” that again caused the main floor to turn into a sea of thrashing bodies and dancing kids. It was quite a spectacle of sight and sound, and it was good to see a crowd actually react positively to music as opposed to some of the shows I’ve seen recently that have lacked that connection (ahem, Big Business on Monday night for example). And the lyrics of “Won’t help to hold inside/Keep it real, keep it real, shout out” at the end, combined with the bouncing, stimulated crowd provided a great finish to the show.

The hype and anticipation for this show was so great that I’m not sure there could’ve been any way for the concert to completely live up to everyone’s expectations. But what it did deliver was a cathartic release for a club filled with kids ready to let loose, and the band provided a perfect soundtrack for their liberation. Sound wise, it was a bit hit or miss for me, with some songs certainly resonating much more than others. It’s tough to see the band go so strictly to the electronic side of things, since I think their sound is given a boost when there are live instruments being played. But even if their direction takes them further away from their more organic beginnings, if they continue to release albums as wonderful as Merriweather Post Pavilion, I’ll continue to listen. And if their live shows continue to be an unrestrained spectacle like their show at First Avenue was, I’ll continue to show up.

[Review by Erik Thompson, photos by Jon Behm.]

Setlist:

Chocolate Girl
Who Could Win A Rabbit
Summertime Clothes
Guys Eyes
Lion In A Coma
Also Frightened
Blue Sky (new song)
Chores
My Girls
Lablakely Dress
Fireworks
Bleed (new song) (encore)
Slippi (encore)
Brother Sport (encore)

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Also: Animal Collective “Merriweather Post Pavilion” Review