Abraham Lincoln in a Spiderman costume. A giant penis costume with a Donald Trump mask. Lead singer Kevin Barnes atop a three-person Cerberus costume. These are all things you could see at The Woodward Theater when of Montreal comes to town. An eccentric live show from an even more eccentric band, this is a dance party unlike any other!
of Montreal is fronted by Kevin Barnes with a revolving cast of musicians and collaborators that formed in Athens, Georgia in 1996. A founding member of the Elephant 6 Collective, which includes other bands such as The Apples in Stereo, The Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel and more, they formed an independent record label based around their shared love of 1960’s music. Many of them found major success on their own and disbanded the collective in 2002. Barnes has been releasing music under the name of Montreal since 1997 and has released 15 studio albums and a plethora of EPs and compilations since then. Starting off as a twee-pop/psychedelic folk artist with his first album, Cherry Peel, he eventually found a more synth-y, psychedelic indie-pop sound starting with his 2005 album, Sunlandic Twins. They reached their peak as a band in 2007 with their critically acclaimed album Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? which Barnes wrote and recorded mostly on his own following his break with his now ex-wife.
Live shows is where of Montreal shines. Always with a focus on the most recent release but playing career spanning hits as well, the shows are accentuated by psychedelic visuals, mostly done by longtime artistic collaborator and brother to Kevin, David Barnes. On top of that, they generally bring a lot of friends on tour with them to dress in ridiculous costumes and dance on stage. On top of the spectacle that’s happening, their infectious music always gets the entire crowd moving in one way or another! Expect to leave this indie dance party sweaty and full of energy, ready to take on the rest of your night.
His newest album, released earlier this year, once again takes on a more dance-y feel with inspiration from '80s extended dance remixes of songs. This will be a show full of whimsical and dark characters on stage (Kevin Barnes included), as well as infectious songs that will get you and then keep you moving!
When: Friday April 6th, 9:00, Doors at 7:45
Where: Woodward Theater
How Much: $20, or $17 online advance
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