There is a special place in my heart for the band of Montreal, as there is for many of the band’s cult-followers. I would be remiss if I didn't have a post about of Montreal on this blog, so this long overdue post is finally here. Inspired by their upcoming documentary, I thought I would recount my perspective on of Montreal's scene throughout their rise to indie stardom.
of Montreal was my 'gateway-drug' into indie music. They were my first true introduction to the indie music scene, which kinda became my music scene throughout my 20’s. And what a wild introduction they were. After my 1st of Montreal show I became an indie music fanatic, scrounging for as much indie gold as I could get my ears on.
of Montreal was my 'gateway-drug' into indie music. They were my first true introduction to the indie music scene, which kinda became my music scene throughout my 20’s. And what a wild introduction they were. After my 1st of Montreal show I became an indie music fanatic, scrounging for as much indie gold as I could get my ears on.
Their Evolution
Within a span of 3 years I saw of Montreal 5 times at 5 different venues, across 3 states! … Drawn in by the guarantee of absurd, over-the-top, (but low-budget) theatrical performances, set to the best groovy indie pop songs of the time. Their shows were fun brief escape from reality.
These excerpts from my Concert Log demonstrate the period of my of Montreal infatuation.
Each new show was an entirely new, bizarre experience. But the best thing about being a dedicated fan (of any band really), beyond seeing varying tours corresponding to different albums, is seeing the transformation a band makes as they ‘make it’. And of Montreal’s transformation took the form of wilder and wilder shows to correlate with their overwhelming discography of progressively crazier albums.
These excerpts from my Concert Log demonstrate the period of my of Montreal infatuation.
Date
|
Venue
|
Location
|
Most Recent Album at time of show
|
Opening Act
| ||
March
|
2
|
2006
|
unknown
| |||
October
|
14
|
2007
| ||||
November
|
1
|
2008
| ||||
April
|
14
|
2009
| ||||
June
|
13
|
2009
|
many
| |||
There was a period of escalating novelty that correlated with the amount of expendable income they had as a band, and that made for some fun shows (and an interesting retrospective of their evolution). The sets got more and more elaborate, the outfits more ornate, the props more intricate, the extras more numerous, and the technological wizardry more complex (projectors), all adding up to a more surreal psychedelic epic event. But they managed to maintain that homemade low-budget delivery.
@ The Satellite Ballroom - 2006
My friend and indie-music-mentor, Cheato (as he was known in college), convinced me to tag along to their show at the small (now defunct) venue known as the Satellite Ballroom in Charlottesville, VA. That show was a crazy experience, which changed me in weird and profound ways. Ok maybe not that crazy, (I just wanted to use that phrase), but it did really open my eyes to the indie music scene.
Here is a video I took at the show of a cover of The Final Countdown by Europe.
(Sorry for the bad audio/video.)
Erin snapped this photo of Me and Steve chatting with Kevin after their excellent show at Rams Head Live on their 2007 Hissing Fauna tour. We mostly talked about books. After I mentioned that I diligently followed up on his Story of the Eye reference, he recommended that we read Everything Is Illuminated, (which we all did. Haha!).
@ The Satellite Ballroom - 2006
My friend and indie-music-mentor, Cheato (as he was known in college), convinced me to tag along to their show at the small (now defunct) venue known as the Satellite Ballroom in Charlottesville, VA. That show was a crazy experience, which changed me in weird and profound ways. Ok maybe not that crazy, (I just wanted to use that phrase), but it did really open my eyes to the indie music scene.
 |
| Kevin came onto the stage in a wedding dress; giving a first impression to set the tone for all future of Montreal performances. Things to note: the small venue. the lack of stage adornments/sets/props (beyond costume changes). and those dated digital cameras! |
 |
| The Late B.P. Helium. I seriously think Kevin fell off the stage at this point. |
 |
| Glam rock mode |
 |
| one of several past band members who looked exactly the same |
Here is a video I took at the show of a cover of The Final Countdown by Europe.
(Sorry for the bad audio/video.)
The song was part of a Medley of this order: Lysergic Bliss - The Final Countdown - Requiem For O.M.M.2. The Final Countdown was substituted in for the part of Lysergic Bliss where they do the a capella part, which was a bummer cause I really wanted to see that live, but nevertheless this was an amazing medley! I was on a big Final Countdown kick at the time due to Arrested Development, so this was a perfectly timed cover song.
@ Rams Head Live - 2007
This show was a stunning show, as expected, but it blew my expectations away. Starting off with the opening act of several extremely young-looking dudes, MGMT, who put on a show that wow-ed us all. This show really showcased of Montreal's evolution. When you compare this show to their show at Satellite Ballroom (2006), it was obvious that this band had come a long way. The extensive stage setup, their ramped-up stage presence, the props, the costumes, the extras, the lights, the projectors, the everything! Not to mention it was the Hissing Fauna tour...
Unfortunately, I dont think I have any pictures of this show(?).. .except this one...
By far the most outlandish of Montreal show that I’ve seen. At this point they had ramped up the crazy stage antics to an extreme, pushing the boundaries of absurdity and abrasiveness. It was the day after Halloween and tons of people (more than usual) were dressed up.
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