Live Review: Animal Collective at the Fonda
There’s a fascinating clip floating around the Internet of Malcolm Gladwell discussing Fleetwood Mac. He uses the band to illustrate “the 10,000 hour rule,” which he posits is the amount of dedicated work it takes to become truly great at something. Taken from his most recent book, "Outliers," Gladwell offers up the story of Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album "Rumours." He argues that it took the band 10 years, 10 studio albums and a rotating cast of members to ultimately culminate in one of the most popular records of all time.
It’s taken Animal Collective nine years and roughly as many albums to arrive at "Merriweather Post Pavilion," released in January and which has already been heralded by many as the album of the year. While it's not likely to sell as many copies as "Rumours," the impact of "MPP" on modern “indie” music is undeniable. Breaking away from time-worn rock traditions while simultaneously embracing the last 40 years or so of contemporary music, the warm, digital euphoria of "MPP" has galvanized a new generation of fans eager to crown their own set of sonic heroes.
Taking the stage at the Music Box @ Fonda on Thursday night to make up for a January date postponed due to illness, Avey Tare (David Portner), Geologist (Brian Weitz) and Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) put on a fantastic, soul-stirring show that found the band making the most of this moment where all eyes are effectively trained on them.
