Of Montreal or: how Davey Pierce rocked the house

November 15, 2007

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Of Montreal’s last show for me was amazing and 100% responsible for making Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? a classic in 2007. Seeing them last night did not disappoint, though it thrilled for different reasons (and despite that it was extremely humid and 120 degrees in the balcony at Great American Music Hall).

Last time I saw them, Of Montreal were so very good for their ability to pull off live versions of their complicated, recorded tracks. This time they nailed it with what seemed like a stripped-down, raw and sweaty set…and Prince covers. Didn’t hear a lot of new material, but heard all the classics. There were two Super Fans in the front row who were a delight to watch. They were rewarded with musky, sweaty Kevin kisses for acting out all the lyrics to every song.

Live, Of Montreal is so good. So ear blastingly good. As usual, Kevin was sexy and nailed all his ambitious vocal parts. But it was their bass player, Mr. Davey Pierce, who was so amazingly accomplished and, thus, was the highlight of the show. It didn’t hurt that Of Montreal’s traveling stage has a second level or "loft" and placed Mr. Pierce not ten feet from us. Each massive phrase and note was rattled off with the calmness of a man doing his taxes: it was that precise.

Davey Pierce rocked the fuck out of the bass.

I’m not totally sure how Of Montreal works…maybe Kevin writes and records the entire album and then they take the songs on the road. If so, he is a genius bass player. His melodies and tone: superb, inventive and driving. He also has an uncanny knack for finding other players who can recreate those sounds on the road.

Note: I had shot some fantastic, amazing footage of the bass and sometimes dueling basses in action, but still haven’t mastered the basic art of “converting” files (especially when I turn the camera…enjoy the sideways videos!). The technology of it all confuses my simple mind. Here is just a taste of the bit of heaven I observed. [Bunny Ain't No Kind Of Rider, Suffer for Fashion, dual bass intro of I Was Never Young.] Please note Pierce’s almost flawless thumb position technique.