Sword Fights and Ninjas Can't Distract from the Sweet Sound Of Montreal

Being sandwiched in the audience near the back of the Roseland Ballroom concerned me, and it wasn’t because the big-haired girl in front of me would get hair in my mouth every time she started bopping her head. Knowing that the sight of Kevin Barnes in his bizarre costumes accounts for much of the excitement in seeing Of Montreal performances, I was worried by how small Barnes’ figure was from where I was standing. Thankfully, Barnes’ shrill voice and playful melodies more than compensated for the pin-sized proportions of the musicians on stage.

Even from the back of the room, it was clear that the show was as much of a celebration of psychedelic melody as a visual spectacle: much of their performance included the sort of theatrical elements seen in the band’s video for “Heimsdalgate Like a Promethean Curse.” Throughout the show, two masked men dressed in black periodically gave little performances, popping balloons and chasing businessmen. Barnes even acted out a melodramatic swordfight with a samurai sword during “Oslo in the Summertime,” noting afterwards in his milky voice that “ninjas fucking rule.”

While playing an assortment of songs from their three latest albums, including crowd-pleasers “Lysergic Bliss” and “Rapture Rapes the Muses,” Barnes, clad in a chain-mail bib, suspenders, white pants, and a silver mask, danced about the stage in a manner that appeared awkward, most likely because of his lanky figure.

The band also included some new songs in their set, such as a piece titled “Exquisite Confessions”—which Barnes jokingly said was about “the dazzle fanny pack of my dreams.” The songs, which are on the upcoming album Skeletal Lamping, scheduled for release next year, featured playful melodies akin to those of The Sunlandic Twins, assuring audiences that were taken aback by the aggressiveness of the concept album Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? that the band hasn’t given up whimsy pop.
After a more subdued performance of “The Repudiated Mortals,” Barnes threw kisses at the audience and waved goodbye charmingly. Even with a less-than-perfect view, I’ve become convinced that Of Montreal would be able to thrive solely off Barnes’ stage presence—even if the band gave up all their pomp and catchy tunes.