Animal Collective at the Ogden, with Lonnie Holly

We popped our heads into the lovely Ogden Theater to check out the sounds of Animal Collective, a group of best friends who grew up playing and recording music together in Baltimore County, Maryland, according to their facebook page. Expecting a wondrous experience from AC was in the bag, but we were stunned by the opener, Lonnie Holley. Holley has, since 1979, “devoted his life to the practice of improvisational creativity. His art and music, born out of struggle, hardship, but perhaps more importantly, out of furious curiosity and biological necessity, has manifested itself in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, performance, and sound.” We were in love with his passion, his delivery, and his hopefulness. He declared, at one point in his show, that he had “woke up to a f***ed up America. And I love it, love it, love it…because we’re the ones to fix it,” a declaration that was both challenging and deeply beautiful, and which the crowd loved.

Animal Collective’s performance – powerful and subdued, queit and screaming, call and response filled, and absolutely lovely – was exactly why we were there. We actually ended up just listening; not taking pictures, not working, not thinking…just being. And I think in some small way, that’s the point: connection, humanity, harmony with the eternity in ourselves and in all those around us. Those aroundus, it should be noted, stood rapt as the show progressed. Sounds were heard from the very few who sought drinks at the bar. Otherwise, quiet, attention, investment.

But enough from us. Here are some pics we took. Enjoy. And we implore you: dig into the crates for both these artists. We promise it’s music your soul needs.

All images from De La Vaca.