Up until the release of “Merriweather Post Pavilion,” Animal Collective would seriously weird me out. Because of their insanely popular “My Girls,” I decided to give them another chance. Suddenly everything changed, maybe I became a little bit more open to their insanely experimental and psychedelic sound, or something else I can’t quite explain, but I have loved their entire discography since.
This year Animal Collective released their newest full length “Centipede Hz,” allowing them a reason to embark on a full tour around the world. They invaded the Tabernacle last night with Micachu & the Shapes for an incredible, one of a kind show that definitely didn’t disappoint.
Micachu & the Shapes were a great fit for supporting Animal Collective. The younger British group has made waves and gained popularity with their simplified but fun and experimental style. Their brief set was the perfect taste for what to expect from the young band’s already impressive career.
As Animal Collective took the stage, they were surrounded by giant painted spirals and what seemed to be inflatable pillows. They began with a somewhat confusing and ambient introduction that then led into MPP song “Also Frightened.” As if the music wasn’t amazing and interesting enough, a projection was played towards the back of the stage and onto the spirals that surrounded the band. The “pillows” were actually teeth that trapped the band inside a giant mouth that continuously glowed with each beat and song, awarding the band with “the most intricate stage setup” in my books. Sadly, of course my main camera died during the second in Animal Collective’s set.
Throughout the remainder of their 12-song set, new songs like “Today’s Supernatural,” “Monkey Riches,” and “New Town Burnout” were played in between favorites from “Strawberry Jam” and MPP. An amazing encore included songs “Cobwebs,” “My Girls,” and “Amanita.” Definitely one of top 10 favorite shows of the year!
Setlist:
- Also Frightened
- Applesause
- Wide Eyed
- Today’s Supernatural
- Honeycomb
- Lion in a Coma
- Moonjock
- Pulleys
- New Town Burnout
- Monkey Riches
- Brothersport
- PeaceboneEncore:
- Cobwebs
- My Girls
- Amanita
