Already Dreaming of When of Montreal Will Perform in St. Louis Again

— by Carrie Zukoski

On tour to support their 20th studio album, aethermead, released in June, of Montreal brought their technicolor concert to St. Louis at Delmar Hall on July 22.

Opening the night was Brooklyn-based Sloppy Jane. Since 2009, Sloppy Jane, fronted by Haley Dahl, performed a show that entailed Dahl, at times wearing a long blue frock and, at times, conducting the 6-piece band and other times crawling around not only on stage but on the floor of the venue. The 45-minute set seemed more like an avant-garde modern cabaret show that began with a classical string sound and became noisier and noisier as the set continued until it climaxed and then softened. The oft-short songs such as “Judy’s Bedroom” and “Where’s My Wife” are quirky and in-your-face.

Headlining the night was the indie-pop-rock/psych/whimsical of Montreal. Since the mid-90s, this band born in Athens, Georgia, has taken their fans along on decades of music that ranges from lo-fi to folk to experimental rock to a kaleidoscope of other genres and sounds. Before the band, fronted by Kevin Barnes, came on stage, the cyclops deity that is drawn on the cover of aethermead, was briefly erected as a 10-foot screen of sorts for a variety of colors and shapes to bounce off. The deity was quickly whisked off stage as the 4 members of the band appeared first, followed momentarily by Barnes dressed in a brightly-colored crop-top outfit and donning a beret. The band easily slid into their opening number, the bouncy “Id Engager,” to the delight of the crowd made up mostly of those of Millennial age and younger. Next up was the noisy, metronomic “When.” No of Montreal concert would be complete without random happenings. This tour includes no-named characters coming out at various times during various songs throughout the 80-minute or so concert. The night consisted of songs from nearly half of of Montreal’s albums, including a handful from aethermead. The upbeat energy vibrated through the core of every fan in the room, pulsating and flowing even when things briefly slowed down as on “Already Dreaming.”

 

of Montreal masterfully created another offbeat night that was met with glee and gave fans a therapeutic night, knowing it’s okay to feel alright when “the VU is flashing.”

See all photos we snapped at their St. Louis concert here: https://bit.ly/ofMontreal26cz