So, I was totally stoked for the Of Montreal show last night. It was supposed to be a good time – set lists from the tour had promised a fair amount of their older material mixed in with stuff from their new album (which, incidentally, has been panned by pretty much all the other fans I know. (read: myself and Rob.) )
HOWEVER…
Such was not the case for the Houston show. It was mostly material from their new album, plus maybe three good songs in there (Id Engager, So Begins Our Alabee, The Outback Steakhouse song, etc.) But that wasn't the only problem with the show. There were so many, I feel a list is necessary:
1. DANCERS IN PIG MASKS: Seriously? Like, why does this band that makes (usually) good, quirky indie pop music feel the need to turn their stage show into a Ziggy Stardust on crack freakshow extravaganza? I don't need 5 or 6 other people on an already crowded stage – more on that later – to make Of Montreal interesting. Nor do I enjoy going to shows that have a splash zone. Please don't throw bacon at me. Also, how are they affording this? They had more dancers than Beyonce. Maybe. I have no factual information to back that claim up.
2. SOUND MIXING FOR DUMMIES: Ugh. Warehouse Live is, as the name suggests, and old warehouse with big concrete walls and very high ceilings, so it's understandable that there would be some reverberation, but it's been a venue for a couple of years, and you'd think they would have figured out how to appropriately mix the bands to sound, oh, I dunno, somewhat good at least by now. At yet, they have not. Shame!
3. 3 BASSES? SURELY YOU JEST!: Rob leaned over at one point and remarked that there were three bassists playing at one time. I couldn't tell because I am a midget, but he was right. I still can't figure out the point of that. Or why they needed 2 drum kits on stage, and why every band member switched instruments several times to play something that someone else was already playing. It felt a little like they were boasting – "Hey, look how multi-talented each of us is!"
4. KEVIN BARNES IN SHORT SHORTS.
5. KEVIN BARNES IN A CENTAUR COSTUME.
6. KEVIN BARNES FAUX-HANGING HIMSELF AND THEN BEING COVERED IN RED PAINT AND RISING FROM THE DEAD OUT OF A FLOWER COVERED CASKET. Seriously.
7. THE CROWD: Between the high school hipsters, thieving Asians, and overly psyched lesbians, I could barely keep my composure. Where did all the cool people go that just want to listen to music and not booty dance in a shirt with an enormous tiger on the back. Yeah, I'm talking about you, guy to my right.
So overall, I lost some respect for Of Montreal last night. (Which is less than Rob lost. We'll miss you, camera.) Tone it down, and maybe I'll go see them again. MAYBE. I hold a long grudge.
2 comments:
It's a shame you didn't see them at #'s in February (unless you did), because it was a kickass show. A friend of mine went to both and totally agrees that the one you saw blew.
Kelly and I went to the best show of theirs in November of 07, also at Numbers. If I could meet Kevin Barnes, I would ask him, "What happened to you?" or "Please stop."
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