For the third consecutive time, a support act was arresting, even mind expanding despite at first appearing to be more visceral than cerebral. GFOTY is a dance act in a choreographic sense: singer Polly-Louisa Salmon was flanked by two dancers who recalled the energy and creativity of Grimes' or the stage presence of Young Fathers. Her stage name is an abbreviation of Girl Friend Of The Year, and the lyrics and appropriation of a mainstream pop music style were clearly satirical. Indeed, the set was a damning indictment of contemporary materialistic, sexualised culture, and constituted a 30 minute concentrated burst of energy. Like Animal Collective, Polly-Louisa felt it unnecessary to explain or entertain between songs: her art spoke for itself. Happily, the sound from the front rail was excellent for both acts at a venue that's previously proven to be unpredictable, whilst the audience seemed focused but enthusiastic.
The main act might appear uncompromising in its intellectualism: there's no doubt that some reviewers have found this show to be heavy going. Whilst I'd enjoyed Noah Lennox's solo project Panda Bear in Manchester in December 2011, Animal Collective had bemused me too earlier that year at Coachella. They were understandably overshadowed by a memorable Arcade Fire The Suburbs set on the same day, but happily last night I found my comprehension to be enhanced by a more intimate venue and relaxed schedule. The Guardian talks about their 'wilful wackiness', whilst The Times went as far as describing the London date as 'more like an endurance test than entertainment'. Clearly, this feeling wasn't shared by the dancing fans in Manchester who vibrated the sprung floor. There were introspective moments, but this allowed the eruptions of joy, such as Golden Gal and FloriDada, to make a deeper impression. The 90 minute set was unsurpringly heavy with their tenth album, but not afraid to mine deeper cuts.
Some may see Animal Collective as contrivers of pretentious art music, but this performance was far from dull. Much attention had been given to the set's visual impact: the holographic 3D lighting at Coachella may have been absent, but a rich palate of colours projected on the cartoon like figures mirrored the psychedelic musical influences. It's true that Avey Tare, Panda Bear, and Geologist remained in fixed positions behind their consoles all evening, and Josh 'Deakin' was absent, as he's engaged on solo projects so didn't get involved in Painting With. Yet, Brian Weitz, with his trademark headlamp in place, was moving his body throughout, though perhaps this outward display of engagement was less obvious to those further back in this ballroom. The trio, plus tight live drummer Jeremy Hyman, showed their depth of experience in creating a true live electronic performance experience, as opposed to falling into the trap of appearing to be passive computer operators.
The frenetic vocals, passing forth between Panda Bear and Avey Tare, were particularly exhilarating, using their trademark medieval technique of hocketing, where a melody is shared alternatively between two voices. Yet, the whole band created a gradual expansion of tension over wide spans of time: Painting With may consist of a series of relatively short songs, but live they created larger structures, aided by their reluctance to pause to talk to the audience. They recently described visualising an 'electronic drum circle' to Pitchfork, and a loose, primitive feel was evoked last night, especially in the first song. The lyrics are sometimes impenetrable, and often dark, dealing with subjects such as the war in Ukraine, but if you allow yourself to be carried along, time is suspended, and you can get lost in the freedom of experimentation. Perhaps the performance style is stereotypically masculine, in the way that emotions come to the surface only reluctantly and occasionally, but there was tangible beauty in songs such as Bees. With the dinosaur references, they reveal a playful side too. I don't chose to listen to Animal Collective every day, but everyone should make the effort to experience this band live under favourable circumstances at least once.
Set List
- Hounds of Bairro
- Vertical
- Lying In The Grass
- GNIP GNOP
- Golden Gal
- Recyling
- Daily Routine
- Summin the Wretch
- Natural Selection
- Alvin Row
- Floridada
- Bees
- Loch Raven
- The Burglars
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