Of Montreal - Shepherd's Bush 14/07/09

Of Montreal are a band that have really progressed ad over the last few years bigger and bigger, developing a pretty large and dedicated fanbase, so with this being their biggest show in London to date there is no surprise that the venue is packed full of the weird and the wonderful all waiting for their opportunity to see one of Of Montreal's very special shows.
Before they got under way though, Shepherd's Bush was graced with the presence of a very special support act going by the name of Local Natives. Neither myself or colleague had ever heard these guys before and after their first few songs I couldn't believe his excitement (being a hard man to please) stating "These guys are really, really good." He was right they were. Playing the sort of alt country that brought people like Fleet Foxes into the limelight last year with their mix of ridiculously tight musicianship and intricate vocal harmonies which sounds so refreshing from the usual below par support acts, it is rare to see a supporting band with so much to offer, I mean Local Natives really know how to right a good song and to top that they are great guys who just seem to love what they are doing.
Of Montreal came onto stage in their usual eccentric fashion, with band members being led onto stage by dancers in various colourful costumes and a guy in a fox mask, exploding straight into 'Nonpareil Of Favor,' the opener from recent album Skeletal Lamping. By the end of the song they were joined on stage by dancers in gas masks and pyjamas who appeared to by killing someone for a reason possibly only known to the band. The set continued in this crazy fashion with lots of visuals, dancers acting out surreal routines on stage involving masks, feathers and a lot of glitter. It really made for a unique show and showed that as they have gotten bigger they have really made the most of what they now have access to. Their more recent songs fitted in well with the older classics but my highlight was the 11.53 minute 'The Past Is A Grotesque Animal' which sent the crowd into a frenzy of dancing.
This was a great show from two bands who certainly have bright futures ahead.
Not only was this Of Montreal's biggest London gig, it was also the biggest show that Middle Boop have designed a print for, which went down pretty well. The print is also being given away as part of a competition in conjunction with Rough Trade stores.