Previews and reviews of L.A.'s cultural events 0 Night Trip Posted By: Shayna Rose Arnold · 7/23/2010 5:46:00 PM Last Friday night, the Greek Theatre, enclosed by a grove of trees aglow with green and orange lights, looked like an enchanting storybook alcove. Three panels adorned the stage, serving as screens upon which kaleidoscopic images were projected. One had the hooked form of a wave, mirroring MGMT’s “Congratulations” album cover, and the stage was bathed in blue and green lights. A plush toy duck with a mohawk sat perched on top an organ. And yet, for all its staging, MGMT’s concert seemed less a performance than a jam session. The group seemed a little lost in their own world and hardly acknowledged the throngs of admiring fans before them when they took the stage. Lead vocalist Andrew VanWyngarden offered a few tired jokes into the microphone between songs, but otherwise kept his focus on the music. Many of the tracks were extended into warped aural explorations; “Siberian Breaks” lapsed into a sprawling pastiche of ‘60s and ‘70s rock. Played live, grooves like “The Handshake” and “Pieces of What” had a certain brightness. The keyboard trilled, the reverb flickered, and the drum beat bounced forward in heavy bounds. When “Time to Pretend” began, everyone stood up to cheer. Hundreds of glowing camera screens dotted the crowd like stars. Bubbles floated up from the front rows, each spurt followed by a plume of smoke rising from elsewhere in the theatre, and a pink light swept across the bobbing heads, illuminating clusters of people dancing. At one point, a crazed girl ran onstage, blowing kisses and playing an air guitar with excess enthusiasm. It took awhile before security guided her away. Only then did the band slap hands with the fans in the first few rows. “This is the last song,” VanWyngarden announced before launching into “Kids.” The band left the stage amidst a swell of cheers—then finally reemerged for a few last tunes, concluding with “Congratulations.” Like their latest album, MGMT’s show was paced according to their artistic whims, the just took an audience along for the ride. Taylor Soppe SIGN UP FOR THE CULTURE NEWSLETTER! MANAGE YOUR INSIDER ACCOUNT CHECK OUT TODAY'S PROMOTIONS Advertisement LA LIST Win Tickets to the 7th Annual LAWineFest! Dinner & Angels Sweepstakes Los Angeles magazine’s Seeking a Friend for the End of the World Sweepstakes Los Angeles magazine’s Moonrise Kingdom sweepstakes Los Angeles magazine’s advance screening of That’s My Boy Subscriber Services Sign up | Log in Like Culture Files ASK CHRIS THE GUIDE CELEBRITY CITYTHINK COLUMNS FEATURES L.A. HANDBOOKS MULTIMEDIA DATING PROMOTIONS Today's weather forecast: Flushed RESTAURANTS SHOPPING CULTURE TRAVEL BEST OF LA BLOGS 75° F

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Review of MGMT concert in Los Angeles

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Previews and reviews of L.A.'s cultural events

Night TripPosted By: Shayna Rose Arnold · 7/23/2010 5:46:00 PM

Last Friday night, the Greek Theatre, enclosed by a grove of trees aglow withgreen and orange lights, looked like an enchanting storybook alcove. Threepanels adorned the stage, serving as screens upon which kaleidoscopicimages were projected. One had the hooked form of a wave, mirroringMGMT’s “Congratulations” album cover, and the stage was bathed in blueand green lights. A plush toy duck with a mohawk sat perched on top anorgan.

And yet, for all its staging, MGMT’s concert seemed less a performance thana jam session. The group seemed a little lost in their own world and hardlyacknowledged the throngs of admiring fans before them when they took thestage. Lead vocalist Andrew VanWyngarden offered a few tired jokes intothe microphone between songs, but otherwise kept his focus on the music. Many of the tracks were extended intowarped aural explorations; “Siberian Breaks” lapsed into a sprawling pastiche of ‘60s and ‘70s rock.

Played live, grooves like “The Handshake” and “Pieces of What” had a certain brightness. The keyboard trilled, thereverb flickered, and the drum beat bounced forward in heavy bounds.

When “Time to Pretend” began, everyone stood up to cheer. Hundreds of glowing camera screens dotted the crowdlike stars. Bubbles floated up from the front rows, each spurt followed by a plume of smoke rising from elsewhere inthe theatre, and a pink light swept across the bobbing heads, illuminating clusters of people dancing.

At one point, a crazed girl ran onstage, blowing kisses and playing an air guitar with excess enthusiasm. It tookawhile before security guided her away. Only then did the band slap hands with the fans in the first few rows.

“This is the last song,” VanWyngarden announced before launching into “Kids.” The band left the stage amidst aswell of cheers—then finally reemerged for a few last tunes, concluding with “Congratulations.” Like their latestalbum, MGMT’s show was paced according to their artistic whims, the just took an audience along for the ride.

Taylor Soppe

MANAGE YOUR INSIDER ACCOUNT

CHECK OUT TODAY'S PROMOTIONS

LA LIST

Win Tickets to the 7th Annual LAWineFest!

Dinner & Angels Sweepstakes

Los Angeles magazine’s Seeking a Friendfor the End of the World Sweepstakes

Los Angeles magazine’s Moonrise Kingdomsweepstakes

Los Angeles magazine’s advancescreening of That’s My Boy

Subscriber Services

Culture Files

ASK CHRIS THE GUIDE CELEBRITY CITYTHINK COLUMNS FEATURES L.A. HANDBOOKS MULTIMEDIA DATING