Animal Collective’s Strawberry Jam is true to the intention of creating a sound that is akin to the aesthetic of the fruit jam. Skeletons, then, even though two of them wore fluffy dresses, seemed like an odd choice for stage decor. Sadly, however, despite a steady start with “#1″ and the few favorable moments that followed, the music sounded like the superbness of the album was crumbling as the soundtrack to its own ruin. And to this image the three skeletons seemed appropriate, though I’m sure the effect was not as intended.
The video montage projected behind Animal Collective’s Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) made his solo show all the more arresting. Though with little to say and a strange sort of serenity (despite all the bristling moods his songs convey), his solitary presence was already captivating to begin with. But there was something the visual display conveyed- via flashes of naked bodies, bearded men, a roller-coaster make-out scene, amongst others- that made the connection between his music and the audience more instinctive. Noah went from song to song without a pause, playing plenty of material from Person Pitch. He finally spoke in the end to thank others who played and those in attendance. There was no encore, but the set was not short. Animal Collective band member Avey Tare watched almost the entire show from the side of the stage.
Pier 17 is not my favorite venue, but Seaport Music Festival has an exciting line-up this year. I made it to the opening night just in time to catch the uniformed Danielson wrapping up, and not sounding very spectacular. An early drizzle had cooled things down a bit, but by the time Animal Collective took stage, the weather was holding up and there was enough body heat to make for a sticky night. The turnout, for the first of the many outdoor shows coming up this summer, was impressive. Afterwards we loitered across the street from the Broadway Nassau train station, and the stream of concert-goers heading home seemed endless. There was barely any space between people at the show, but several of my neighbors showcased some inspired dancing anyway.
