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Review: Of Montreal

As predicted, Sunday night's Of Montreal show at Town Ballroom definitely delivered a healthy dose of the unique, bizzare, colorful, spectacle that fans have come to expect. Founded in 1996 as the brain-child of frontman Kevin Barnes, Of Montreal has consistently produced music that shows an abundance of originality, with a catalogue of songs that each stand on their own as beautiful pieces of art. This quality certainly translates to the live shows, which are full of theatrics and charisma, particularly from Barnes. With eight musicians on stage and ususally around three or four dancers, the performance was very dynamic without being chaotic or busy. The set had a nice mixture of songs, mostly from False Priest, but with several from previous albums as well, particuarly Skeletal Lamping and Hissing Fauna.  When done live, the orchestral composition-like nature of many of the songs is enhanced by the energy on stage, and different characteristics of the songs are brought out.  For example, Sunlandic Twins' "Olso in the Summertime" has a haunting bass line that was made even spookier and more grimy.  Also, the drama and romance of "Platis Wafers" was really played up and was very well recieved by the crowd.  One of my favorite tracks from False Priest, "Sex Karma." did not translate to the stage as well as most of the other songs did, but the effortless groove returned as they seemlessly blended in to "Girl Named Hello," which showcased the superb keyboard skills of Dottie Alexander. 

On stage, there was a huge screen that displayed visuals in accordance with the song being played, whether it was psychadelic patterns or intercut video clips.  Additionally, the dancers would come out in costumes that were always interesting, and would act out a little play that sometimes matched an element of the theme of the song.  At any given point you might see a winged eagle on the shoulders of porcine humans, adults in footie pajamas being ravaged by giant-skulled ghouls, mock protesters with outlandish signs, brides, libertines, or wrestlers.  The world of Kevin Barnes is inhabited with some truly strange creatures, and they were all on display Sunday night.  Of Montreal shows are notable for how complete the artistic experience is. Every element of the production is entertaining and appealing; from the visuals and costumed dancers to the songs themselves, seeing this band is always a treat. 




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