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After the major disappointment of this show being postponed in January (sort of postponed twice) and the February date being rescheduled, there was fair bit of anticipation for Animal Collective at the Fonda. Of course, the fact that Merriweather Post Pavilion was out for 6 or so weeks by the time the show came around meant everyone had a chance to truly take in the album and savor every friggin second of it.

On the night, two support acts laid the groundwork... but frankly the venue filled up in the last 20 minutes before the show started (was sold out and very difficult to get tickets for the show).

The band opened with In the Flowers which has this momentous moment that really didn't sound as great live (f'in speakers) -- but that compared to how incredible it sounds on the record which is pretty near perfect -- so it was still huge. That was followed, per album, by My Girls and the night was rocking. That tune is so perfect I'm not going to try convey the live experience except to say it was 1/2 part sing-along, 1/2 part pure beaming joy.

AC live offers up a lot of intricate meandering intros -- with so many anthemic components to MPP, that means these intros (when you finally decipher them) add enormously to the anticipation for the track to follow. So the live experience is interwoven with esoteric sounds that hint at what is to come follow by a near-perfect (or perfect) delivery of the tracks themselves.

MPP's major highlights were visited: Guys Eyes, Summertime Clothes, Lion in a Coma, and an outro on Brothersport (huge sing-along). The encore was well deserved a saw the band produce a down-tempo version of Banshee Beat which is one of my favorite earlier AC tracks and was a fine ending to a great night.

Can't wait to see them again in May.