Photos by James Nagel // Written by Molly Kish //
(((folkYEAH!))) 10 Year Anniversary Show Series: Panda Bear with Ducktails //
The Independent – San Francisco
April 14th, 2015 //
Noah Lennox, one-fourth of the Baltimore experimental outfit Animal Collective and also known for his breakout side project and alias Panda Bear, stopped by The Independent for one of the most anticipated performances of the Bay Area’s annual #Fauxchella festivities.
Fellow Domino Records labelmate Ducktails primed the sold-out crowd with an hour-long opening set. His gorgeous, psychedelic shoegaze entranced the packed venue, with those in attendance there just as much to catch the Real Estate guitarist’s side project as they were to see Panda Bear. Even though Matt Mondanile has been known to perform with a full band, on this current tour stop we were treated to a solo set with a minimalistic stage show focused primarily on his mastery of hypnagogic pop.
Lennox took the stage near midnight, bringing the late-night audience to life with several tracks off of his critically acclaimed fifth studio album Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper. He washed over the mid-size venue in a sea of noise and optical embellishments, including some standout visuals of nature, abstract art and serenely puking muses.
A somewhat challenging set for those unfamiliar with both Mondanile’s and Lennox’s intricate balance between striking and serene soundscapes, the crowd remained absorbed in the intensity of both performances from start to finish. Observably roused and on a sensory overload after having been audibly provoked into the early-morning hours, the crowd left the venue tested and changed for the better.
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