Of Montreal at the Highline Ballroom

Love the Highline Ballroom.  Such a civilized place to see music.  Upstairs you can reserve tables or grab one if available for the minimum cover of $10 a drink for each set.   You can't beat that.  If you want to do the floor scene, that is available too.  The sound system isn't stellar but the place works.

We went to see Of Montreal.  I have always liked their music.  They definitely appeal to a stoner crowd.  The sweet smell of reefer took over the place the second they came on. 

There was definitely an attempt from the band to show a kind of off the beaten track to their audience.  The keyboard guy came out in a lion costume to start and roar at the audience.  At the beginning of the show, there were 3 people who were wearing head to toe leotards covering their face holding posts with animals on them that they would wave around the musicians.  One of them had a camera and was streaming what he was filming behind the band.  One guy walked on his hands.  It was supposed to show an edgy weirdness, I guess, but to me, it just seemed manufactured.

For the music, sometimes you go see a concert and you walk away loving the band even more.  Live performances can change your entire perception of a band.  In this instance, I walked away not really loving Of Montreal.  Lots of the songs sounded the same, and the whole contrived show with the leotard guys didn't do it for me. 

But, the Highline Ballroom…love that.