Just like there’s no real way to classify the music of Animal Collective, there’s no correct method of explaining the experience of attending their concert last Thursday night. You just had to be there.
After rescheduling their highly anticipated and sold-out Los Angeles shows, which were canceled due to illness, Animal Collective appeared live at the Music Box at the Henry Fonda Theater. The floor was easily accessible seeing that most people had decided to skip the opening bands or were sipping on overpriced alcoholic beverages on the patio upstairs.
Rightfully so, since the opening bands were so terrible that they each bordered on audible assault to the eardrums. While you can’t exactly classify Animal Collective as music that your grandmother would like (or even understand), Ariel Pink and Lucky Dragons were nearly unlistenable acts that tried to mimic the grandiose sound of the main band. You can’t blame people for tuning out when musicians refuse to even stand up on stage, as Lucky Dragons did. The band’s tracks would have been perfect as the background music for a store that sells incense. However, similar to when too much incense invades your nostrils and gives you a headache, after only an hour of their efforts, the crowd felt like they had had too much and dispersed from the front of the stage.
The dismal opening acts left some skeptical about Animal Collective. But when bandmembers Avey Tare (real name Dave Portner), Geologist (Brian Weitz) and Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) took to the stage, it was well worth the wait. Each song flowed into the next one naturally, only stopping two or three times for enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
The majority of the tracks performed came from the band’s latest album, “Merriweather Post Pavilion,” although older fan favorites were notably present as well. Electronic effects might not be for everyone, but even those who would not consider themselves regular listeners would have still enjoyed the experience. The venue’s acoustics proved their worth as the ethereal notes filled the entire venue while the audience remained transfixed on the visual experience of the vivid light show that was accompanying the band.
While most concerts are known for their upbeat energy, Animal Collective’s slowed down the fast-paced nature of Los Angeles for just one night. The concert created a spiritual experience that will go down in the annals of concertgoing history as one of those “Hey, were you at that show?” moments. The room was filled with swaying bodies that appreciated the ambient songs, which transcended genre to find something for everyone.
This particular performance also confirmed the importance of band member Panda Bear, who arguably makes up the backbone of the group.
With a powerful live version of “Comfy in Nautica” and his emotional contribution to fan favorite “My Girls,” it was clear that the greatness of the music was not due entirely to the Collective, but to Panda Bear’s resonating talent. That’s not to say that each cannot have his own success as a solo artist ““ Avey already has to a lesser extent ““ but Panda Bear’s efforts stood out, creating the kind of environment that calmed and aroused the emotions of the listeners at the same time.
After a lengthy, much-desired encore, the audience members peacefully dispersed from the venue, realizing that though they may never see each other again “”mdash; the night’s experience was something special shared by all.
““ Michelle Castillo
E-mail Castillo at mcastillo@media.ucla.edu.