Review: of Montreal Brings Theatrics to Sold-Out Neumos
The creation of Kevin Barnes, born in 1996 after a failed romance with a woman “of Montreal,” was in Seattle in support of their latest album Innocence Reaches. Barnes started the project as its only member before moving to Athens, Georgia. After that, he met the rest of the musicians that would make the band, and record their debut studio album, Cherry Peel. The latest release seems to draw more electronic sounds, but still resembles their previous rock mood as well.
The packed Neumos was in for a unique performance that constantly changed faces thanks to the many outfits and props that switched over the course of the night. Barnes was wearing a wig for most of the show, along with colorful clothes and even stood shirtless for a while. Sometimes it was as if you were watching an art instillation, waiting for it to come alive. You could tell that this was a well thought-out production and that the visual aspect was just as important as the music.
The band opened with “It’s Different for Girls,” then played their popular song “Wraith Pinned to the Mist” as everyone stood behind their instrument setup, allowing Barnes to perform in the front of the stage with the dancers and props throughout the night. The world created by the band seemed to be an array of lights and visually stimulating images that flooded our minds, hosting the perfect party.
The performance changed with each song, constantly grabbing the attention of the fans. We really enjoyed getting to hear songs like “Gronlandic Edit,” “Bassem Sabry,” “A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger,” and encore-starter “Suffer for Fashion.” If you want to live inside a fairy tale that hosts great music, this is a live show you need to catch.
