Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Of Montreal Take The Avalon! 5/14/11
If you're worried that you've lost your sense of childlike wonder, and you're just a shriveled up brittle cocoon of adult responsibilities and obligations, fear not! Go see an Of Montreal show. No prior knowledge of the band is necessary. You do not need to own their T-shirts or albums or even know that they are not in fact from Montreal (They’re from Georgia). All you need is a willingness to clap your hands and jump up and down. Oh yes and a propensity for suspending disbelief.
It was immediately apparent from the minute a referee arrived on stage, that this was going to be no ordinary show. Whipping the crowd up into a lather, the referee ushered in Of Montreal while a giant screen projected a man in a suit running down a hallway jubilantly with the words “Success” and “Pizza Mania” flashing on the screen.
The eight piece took the stage at the Avalon looking like children who raided the dress up box. The violinist was in a giant blue body suit, the keyboardist had on a pink cocktail dress, the drummer had black sequined pants, the guitarist had feathered shoulder pads and large sunglasses, the bassist was in Sunday whites, and lead singer Kevin Barnes wore a raspberry beret which matched his red sparkling cummerbund. Even the sound man behind the booth had on overalls and was jumping up and down like a mad thing.
From the minute the first note reverberated off the rafters that this was going to be a carnival rather than a show. Their funky good natured pop was punctuated by luchador wrestling matches championed by Captain America, potato-headed beasts, large breasted Vikings, sparkling butterfly people, and unruly pigs. And through the mass of violence and sex stood the ringmaster, Mr. Barnes commanding attention in ever increasingly skimpy outfits.
His nasal voice unified the chaos singing songs of rejection and lust and rage in a colorful smorgasbord of passion that fell like a curtain over the bouncing crowd. During costume changes, different members of the band grabbed the microphone and sang their own numbers. Each of them had beautiful strong voices and a charming stage presence which lead people to openly wonder why they weren’t given the lead in more numbers.
Possibly the most classy moment of them all was when the drummer sauntered out from behind his drum kit in his sparkling trousers and brown cardigan, got a cocktail from Marilyn Monroe, bid Los Angeles good evening, and launched into a swoon-worthy cover of “My Funny Valentine” with only the violinist and pianist as accompaniment.
The evening ended with two pigs declaring war on the whole band with ribbons and confetti. The luchadors came back on stage and the Of Montreal show devolved into an all out brawl. Pig against wrestler, band mate against band mate, it was an unholy rumpus. In the end only Captain America was left standing with the violinist playing “America the Beautiful” in his honor. The crowd sang along as Captain America crowd surfed his victory lap and cheered wildly when it was over. Then they turned around and walked out into the night air; their faith in the power of imagination restored.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?