Animal Collective / Atlas Sound, London Koko, May 22nd 2008

First an admission; my main intention for this gig was too see Bradford Cox AKA Atlas Sound- Animal Collective were just going to be a bonus for me. Plus, one of the main reasons I wanted to see Atlas Sound was because of the Deerhunter connection. I was desperate to see the band live and this was the next best thing. However, I still enjoy AS's record, so I was still looking forward to seeing the material replicated live. I'm stating this because of how I came away from the gig- I was blown away by Animal Collective.

I'd been to Koko once before to see EITS, and although I admired the numerous towering tiers of the venue the gig was marred by the fact that the stage was so low that I couldn't actually see the band for the most part. Luckily this time I managed a closer spot to the stage and enjoyed a decent view. Cox entered the stage looking like a character from a Harmony Korine movie. Endearingly shy and self deprecating, I felt for him all alone on the stage with only guitar and laptop for company. Although I've appreciated his record (especially songs like 'Recent bedroom' and 'Ativin'), often I found the tracks washing over me a little. Live I think the songs made more impact, enveloping the audience in warm layers of guitars and electronics. It was a pleasing set, and I'm looking forward to Deerhunter's show with Liars with high expectations.

Now, onto Animal Collective. The band have always been one that I have liked to an extent but never really fully appreciated. On record, the vocal harmonies, tribal beats and jangly guitars seem appealing but I always feel there's something elusive about them, possibly because it's such restless music. Live however, the restlessness of the music seems to strengthen their performance. I'd heard that the line up is pretty flexible on tour, so we were lucky that Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) was with them and playing one of his own songs.I don't really know what is usually expected of an Animal Collective, but on Thursday night they were utterly, utterly brilliant. Avey Tare on vocals was swinging about the stage like a mischievous, yodelling, monkey rapper his gloriously harmonius voice being manipulated to new heights by the echo and reverb effects. The electronics on show were astonishing- one part of the show sounded like a huge starfighter fight from Stars Wars, a million bleeps and beats drowining out the room. The band were incredibly loud- in earlier posts I have noted APTBS as supposedly being raucous- but AC were really, really, [i]really[/i] loud. Noise eminated from the stage and ricoched around your body, like a giant raspberry being blown in the venue. The tribal beats underlying their sound were booming and the crowd (towards the front, anyway) were dancing and moshing wildly. I haven't felt such an urge to dance at a gig for a long while. They just sweep you up in this massive wave of melody and rhythm. A brilliant, brilliant performance, definitely one of the best I've ever seen, and certainly the best so far this year.