Show Pics: Animal Collective @ Emo’s (4/30)

When ACL cancelled a day of the festival a few years back, we were flooded by a series of pop-up shows to keep visiting artists busy. When the press release landed cancelling the entire festival, I emailed Team ATH to keep an eye out and put an ear to the street. One of the first big acts to land a venue was Animal Collective. The show at Emo’s sold out in two minutes. In fact, most pop-up shows sold out in a ridiculously short time, but I think this one was the fastest by far.

If you were at Scoot Inn or Hotel Vegas, get ready for notes and pics from the big show that featured Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith as the open…

Dear Levitation,

Thanks for your concern for our safety. Please consider that while picking the venue for next year, if you recover.

Sincerely,

Brian

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith is a synth song builder. So pulls from several devices and uses her voice as an instrument with lyrics that disappear in the good way. It was quirky, unique, thoughtful and intelligent. No matter what you listened to on the way into the venue, this set would bring a level to your brain.

Animal Collective had to make the show go on. The set was rad. I typically am sarcastic about the use of projectors, but in this case, nope. The displays were set up to highlight the giant psych-tikis. The audience members in the middle of the crowd got the best show. The overall experience and sound were monumentally better from dead center. I also was always a fringe fan of the band, but seeing them live is required. I get it. The vocals, individual syllables at times, bounced from right to left edges of the stage made for the stereophonic group hypnosis. The band was at its best when crafting, building and climaxing the jams. Ninety-minutes. Not mailed in…