Of Montreal @ Epicentre, San Diego--1/26/06
Of Montreal-Wraith Pinned to the Mist (and other games)
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San Diego isn't exactly known for its indie pop gems (especially not bordering twee hyper indie pop), and the Epicentre isn't exactly known for attracting intellectual hipsters, but when Of Montreal and friends go all out in sunny San Diego, you still can't keep away the cigarettes, tight jeans and battered Conversers from rushing the party.

Opening band, classic indie dance pop MGMT strolled on stage in skinny, pale, neon shirt wearing style and tried their hardest to get the crowd moving without using any apparent instruments. The crowd stared and didn't clap as instructed...although it was still early in the evening and forgivable. The band walked off stage halfway during the last song (a fun, dancable little number) and...never returned. Or maybe they did, in full on winter hunting gear...hmm.

Next up, weird, insane, most likely drugged out dancey hip hop group Grand Buffet. Interesting lyrics, caught the crowd's attention, and the energy level in the venue shifted up a notch. People were beginning to display their weird dance moves, and the witty banter from the band praising the likes of Satan and some parady of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah managed to draw out a few chuckles.

Then we had to wait through unfasinating DJ set until Of Montreal...finally...took the stage.

With the lead singer in a bridal gown and veil. Shiny, flashy blue glitter around his eyes, a golden ring in his hands, he proposed to the audience.

And, of course, they accepted.

Rocking through classics and newer indie pop pieces, and one strange experienmental piece where the lead singer gathered a red cape and performed magic on the keyboardist (who did seem a little unenthusiastic most of the show), blinding her and setting her on the drums with Xtream background noies and feedback, various neon colored costume changes, non-stop dance action from a girl in a wheelchair by the stage, one attempt at being like a "real rock band" and jumping right into a song without a spoke word intro first, they managed to move most of the crowd, especially as they finished with "The Party's Crashing Us Now", the one song that many seemed to have come especially to experience (myself included, maybe...) and extract plenty, plenty of claps.

Although some of their cutesy vocals and twinkling melodies didn't translate so well to the soundsystem more suited for screamocore and punkxcore (or maybe it was because I was standing about two feet behind the left stereo), they pulled off a great performance and an encore afterwards. They never did play "Art Snob Solutions", but their whimsy and happiness still made it worth it.

A side note about hipsters: most of them do dance. In fact, many of them seemed to live and go to shows only to dance, whether the music calls for it or not. Maybe it sets them apart...or maybe they just have too much energy not to work off. Whatever.

Also, quite a few people climbed on the beams above the stage (inspired by Grand Buffet's actions) and some idiots tried to start a mosh pit...I can't even think of how to respond to that. So I stayed to the side and glared at them under my breath. Hmm.