Panda Bear
Bowery Ballroom, NYC
6.23.07
By Patrick F. Albertson
Photo Illustration and photo by Adam Squires

A young man named after a species of bear performed before a packed Bowery Ballroom Saturday. Panda Bear's performance included a heavy dose of standing and singing, ample turning of the knobs, rollercoaster sex and a slow-motion fan-blasted dog. The last two were (for better or worse) part of the video projection supplement, but that, in a nutshell, was the show. There were bound to be mixed reviews considering the percolating climate of the blogosphere following his show on the same stage Monday last after which many heralded the performance as the greatest show in recent memory while still others, whined shrilly, "He just stood there."

Well fuck you. It was good. Not all of it, I didn't say it was great. But let's be serious, for a minute and recap. Scott Mou had a pleasant, warm trance-like hum under a video that appeared to be a 20s deco French cartoon--that was nice. But Eric Copeland was, unfortunately categorically unlistenable. Panda Bear on the other hand sounded great and provided some weird, fun shit to look at.

The performance itself found the songs off of Person Pitch stripped of some of the richer harmonies of the record, but fine tuned and authentic in their live form. Front and only man, Noah Lennox stood, fey, soft and engrossed in the digitally-dexterous and haunting tunes, frozen save for his jaw and fingers. Despite a few spontaneous screams and hiccupping tics, the stage performance was unbearably (hahahahaha) minimal, but nevertheless held an audience rapt with, if not respect, curiosity. What the intimate show did allow the crowd was a closer view at the seams of these much touted, critically praised songs. The hand of the magician was visible in songs like, Take Pills that dallied into and extended version with an entirely different melody and lyrics half way through be fore rejoining for the folky, latin, yet surf-styled chorus. Each track seemed to wander as it extended, lingered and then blended into the next, a challenging feat easily accomplished by the skillful Mr. Lennox. Nevermind the fact that he did it with all the energy and gesticulation of a fourth grader reading book report. That not withstanding, the pathos in his pipes and the well balanced mix provided an aurally brilliant show.

Fortunately for you, if your gripe was over the planted performance you had a visual feast created and composed by Animal Collective video collaborator, Danny Perez. The piece featured dated porno films congealed by a kaleidoscope treatment that left the action clear, but the specifics ambiguous. There was a moment (nay, several moments) during which a small furry pup licked its face in slow motion while being confronted with an invisible blast of air and a couple that stripped and gets after it on a roller coaster. Towards the end a montage of fanatical, concert-going, teenage girls screamed and fainted blending the role of screaming fan with a twist of insanity and torture. The video provided stimulation to an otherwise visually void stage and the music enhanced the strange visual non-narratives that flashed across the screen, distressed and distorted as if they were some bizarre, hallucinogenic screen saver.

So there you have it, something for everyone. Well, not really. I'm sure plenty of people still hated it. Nevertheless, it has been a big year for Panda Bear and if the sellouts on this tiny summer tour are any indication as to what his solo career will produce, his fate seems secure at least in critical circles. As for the live show, don't expect sweat, splits, leaps or jolts, but if you enjoy something that sounds great, go. If you don't, I guess be glad that Danny Perez is around.