Animal Collective energizes The Pageant

By Dylan Frost

 

Animal Collective lit up St. Louis with an equally glittering display of sights and sounds Friday.

After the band postponed the show from March to October because of multiple members being ill, the audience at The Pageant was finally able to dance to the heavy syncopations emphasized by the array of keyboards used by Avey Tare, Geologist and Deakin and the entrancing percussion by Panda Bear.

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The stage display itself was something to admire. A huge blowup spectacle reminiscent of the album cover of “Centipede Hz” engulfed the stage. Anyone with a fixation for pressing buttons would have a field day with the sophisticated collection of Korg keyboards, Kaoss pads, drum machines and samplers that helped orchestrate the set.

The visual show projected behind the band was a hallucinogenic “Fantasia” if Walt Disney would have been an avid fan of psychedelic pop. The colorful presentation of swirls and indistinguishable shapes coupled with distorted animations was like a Jackson Pollock piece put through a Ralph Steadman filter in a Salvador Dali universe. When looped with the music, it created a mind-bending sensation that complemented Animal Collective’s sound.

Despite predominately playing songs from the most recent album “Centipede Hz,” the group provided a good assortment of songs from “Feels,” their esteemed “Merriweather Post Pavillion” and even a surprise song from the EP “Fall Be Kind.”

“Amanita” was the opener. Avey Tare’s vocals rang out over the song that is an electronic fusion of Eastern-influenced Carnatic and African tribal music. The crowd started bopping up and down as the song subtly transitioned into the captivating and groovy tune of “Wide Eyed.” Deakin’s voice echoed over the constant rising and falling rhythm of arpeggio-synths and sitar-sounding tones buzzing from Avey Tare’s guitar.

“Avey Tare, you’re the man,” a pony-tailed man in a checkered shirt shouted after a mini-break.

The group responded with “Did You See the Words”— an uplifting tune with a lovely piano sonata.

“And I want to look out/I don’t want to bail out. And I want to help out/I don’t want to nod out,” Avey Tare sang during “Monkey Riches,” as the crowd’s energy picked up.

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“What Would I Want? Sky” slowed the pace down with its ambient keys and heavy and repetitive splashing of the cymbals. The synth noises leading the song’s transition made it seem as if a jet engine was crashing through the Pageant’s roof until the springy sample intro of “Lion in a Coma” distinguished itself, causing everyone to cheer along with the catchy song.

The breakdown during “Brother Sport” became the highlight of the performance. The instruments clamored together in a droning screech for several minutes while Deakin hopped around the stage with his bass. Spotlights shooting rays of red, purple and blue swayed across the stage. The video display showed its chaotic and multi-colored illustrations until the group came together for the last part of the song.

The band encored “Moonjock” and the fast-paced, happy-go-lucky song “The Purple Bottle” to end the performance.

What Animal Collective does so well is bridge the aesthetic of the visual show with the music to create a captivating and pleasant dynamic. The group is fairly limited to movement on stage because of having to operate several stationary electronics — and although that can affect crowd enthusiasm — it did not for Animal Collective.

The group has distinguished itself as one of the key players of modern neo-psychedelic music; Being able to see them perform as a full unit is a must-see for fans of electronic music.

Dylan Frost can be reached at 

[email protected] 

or 536-3311 ext. 254.

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