Concorde 2, 15th January 2009

On walking into the heaving first room of Concorde 2, it is evident that tonight’s show is so much more than just another gig. The hype that has been built up around new album “Merriweather Post Pavilion” has rocked blogs all over the world. It is Animal Collective’s ninth studio album and with such an impressive back catalogue, no wonder the whole world has been anticipating its release. With such immense productivity – an album a year, as well as numerous side projects (see Panda Bear’s solo album, “Person Pitch”) – it’s hard to believe they even have time to tour. But oh do they make time.

The stage is covered in various wires and cables, synthesizers, keyboards and drum kits. It looks like a musical atomic bomb has gone off, far too much for just four men. And tonight’s show doesn’t even offer us all four of them. Brighton’s lucky line up is as follows: Brian Weitz, aka Geologist, in charge of electronics and samples, David Portner, aka Avey Tare, on guitar, vocals, keys, percussion and samples, and finally Noah Lennox, better known as Panda Bear with his gentle voice on percussion and keys.

The tension is unbelievable. The crowd is a mishmash of young and old. Lovers, friends, family: excitement expresses itself in different ways. Support act High Life’s performance is foreplay: both physically and musically. Couples couple, friends babble, but ears are open. His sound is of the Animal Collective ilk, with the added tones of a Pete Molinari-esque voice. Animal Collective do their soundcheck to a backdrop of dubstep, dancehall and hip-hop.

Lights go down, synths build up and Panda Bear begins to slowly tease with the sweetness of his vocal chords. From this point, for the next hour and a half, the music will not stop. It is one big jam, Strawberry Jam for some. New material goes down a storm, particularly the epic “My Girls”. Older tracks get the die-hard fans moving. “Fireworks” blends with euphoric anthem “Peacebone”. Each song is toned and tweaked to perfection and on top of all the musical glory, there’s a light show. Flashes of purple, green and red bathe the three bodies, each moving in their own special way, feeling the waves. As introverted as they are, they are a pleasure and an honour to watch. Members of the audience lose themselves, mesmerised, and Concorde 2 is for one night, and one night only, transformed into a zoo, the animals all collected.

Words by Lucy Tesco
Photography by Faye Perriam
www.myspace.com/animalcollectivetheband