Dublin’s Academy (formerly known as Spirit) was the venue for the spangly, space-prog Brooklyn band MGMT on a blustery Saturday night and by the end of their sparkling, energetic set, Ben Goldwasser and Andrew Van Wyngarden's expanded-for-the-tour ensemble had secured a stage invasion and wild applause for their efforts.
For a new band arriving in Ireland for the first time, they seemed as surprised as I was by the reception from a buzzing crowd of old and young. On the surface it’s all bandanas and 70s glam chic, while the music could be anything from the Rolling Stones to The Flaming Lips by way of a glut of synth, pop, prog, and all-out rock bands from the last 30 years.
The band are genuinely humbled by their treatment from the singing crowd and proceed to rip through their album with aplomb. Kicking off with Weekend Wars' flourishing keyboards is a delicious start to the gig, while Time to Pretend is a fuzzy, thumping delight and Pieces of What takes on a gloriously epic feel as they twang through its sunny-day lazy melodies.
The encore sees Van Wyngarden don a multi-coloured boa of sorts, along with a pair of over-sized shades, to finish with Kids, a booming bassy track that brings the whole crowd to a dizzy climax and prompts a stage invasion that bewilders the venue’s security and sees them eventually shepherd everyone safely off the stage and back to the darkened floor.
Somehow MGMT finish the song, with even Van Wyngarden’s crowd-surfing failing to stop him hitting every line.
A perfect introduction to Ireland for the band, and vice versa. They’re back in May and no doubt the crowds will be even bigger then.
For a new band arriving in Ireland for the first time, they seemed as surprised as I was by the reception from a buzzing crowd of old and young. On the surface it’s all bandanas and 70s glam chic, while the music could be anything from the Rolling Stones to The Flaming Lips by way of a glut of synth, pop, prog, and all-out rock bands from the last 30 years.
The band are genuinely humbled by their treatment from the singing crowd and proceed to rip through their album with aplomb. Kicking off with Weekend Wars' flourishing keyboards is a delicious start to the gig, while Time to Pretend is a fuzzy, thumping delight and Pieces of What takes on a gloriously epic feel as they twang through its sunny-day lazy melodies.
The encore sees Van Wyngarden don a multi-coloured boa of sorts, along with a pair of over-sized shades, to finish with Kids, a booming bassy track that brings the whole crowd to a dizzy climax and prompts a stage invasion that bewilders the venue’s security and sees them eventually shepherd everyone safely off the stage and back to the darkened floor.
Somehow MGMT finish the song, with even Van Wyngarden’s crowd-surfing failing to stop him hitting every line.
A perfect introduction to Ireland for the band, and vice versa. They’re back in May and no doubt the crowds will be even bigger then.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment