MGMT is a band known to shock their fans with new twists on their sound and re-imagining their musical persona. With the recent release of their 2013 self titled album, it’s clear that the band is moving further away from the catchy tunes and unforgettable hits that started off their careers with immense success like, “Time to Pretend” and “Kids” off Oracular Spectacular. Many argue that their newest album is comprised of songs that could have been B Side tracks to any of their older albums or a try hard attempt to be insincerely weird. However, I say kudos to Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser for staying true to their musical ambitions and creating unique music, eliminating the intent on making music simply so that it sells.
MGMT’s performance in Toronto on Saturday evening was definitely one of the best concerts the city has seen in a long time, making up for the fact that their last visit was almost 3 years ago. The show was sold out to an eclectic mix of eager fans ready to take in the psychedelic sounds of the long anticipated duo.
VanWyngarden and Goldwasser both claim that their stage presence is lacking because they focus so heavily on the art of their sound; musicianship comes before an entertaining demeanour. For this particular tour, the band implemented a unique dynamic to their performance called The Optimizer, taking the pressure off them worrying about creating a spectacle of themselves for their audience. The Optimizer is a visual accompaniment projected on a huge screen, consisting of psychedelic scenery, odd creatures, and the members super imposed on trippy patterns as they performed live. I loved that MGMT incorporated this into their set because it made the concert more enjoyable, especially for the people who were unfortunately standing in the far back of a packed venue. It gave the opportunity for everyone to enjoy the music with something wonderful to look at.
The evening’s set opened with “Alien Days”, the single off their latest album, following with crow favourites “Time to Pretend” and “Flash Delirium.” The sound in the venue was impeccable and I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the synths and vocals. I would even disagree with VanWyngarden and Goldwasser’s claim that they aren’t entertaining performers. In fact I was mesmerized by their stage presence. The simplicity of their actions makes their music look effortless despite its complexity. The band fused extended cosmic jamming into their songs, giving fans more to love and dance to for popular songs like “The Youth” or “Of Moons, Birds and Monsters”.
Their set continued on with a 1968 Faine Jade cover, “Introspection”, which oddly sounds freakishly identical to MGMT. “Weekend Wars”, “Your Life is a Lie”, and the unforgettably infectious tune “Electric Feel” followed. When they performed “Electric Feel”, there wasn’t a single person in the venue not grooving to the 80’s day-glo inspired synth melodies and smooth vocals. It gave way to nostalgia and sent me on a trip to a land of hallucinations. But all too soon, the night came to a close, leaving people craving more. It was just one of those nights you just wanted to keep going. Luckily, the band came out for a two-song encore consisting of “Congratulations” and “Indie Rokkers”.
MGMT is full of surprises; they are the epitome of an ever-growing experiment in music that we all want to be apart of. Fans will continue to take a ride on the transcendent journey that is MGMT and we patiently wait for what they may have in store for us next.
