Music Monday: Grizzly Bear

I'll admit it. I wasn't as pumped as I should be for this show. The Grizzly Bear concert kind of crept up on us, so much so that I forgot that it was happening until only a couple days beforehand. Nonetheless, I dragged my tired and slightly sick self to the concert with my lovely friend Katy, after we stuffed our faces with some Chipotle burritos. We both finished them. We are so good at eating.

First Ave is becoming a second home to Girl Palace. If we are not at our apartment, work, or a thrift store, we are at First Avenue (now you know the top places to look if we go missing).

Very full, Katy and I showed up at First Ave just before the opener--Lower Dens--took the stage. We found a standing spot on the upper level, which worked out quite well. I don't think the concert was sold out, but it was pretty packed by the time Grizzly took the stage. I hadn't heard of Lower Dens beforehand, and overall, I did enjoy their music. Katy and I decided that the band's music was good, but not really that exciting live. More like, study music. And that's just my opinion--but no one in the crowd was really dancing or bobbing their heads. Maybe they were all just taking it in like me.

Here's a good one:

Lower Dens takes the stage

So all in all, would I buy tickets to a Lower Dens concert? Probably not. Will I add a couple of their songs to a (calming, relaxing) Spotify playlist? I think so.

On to Grizzly Bear...

These guys did NOT disappoint. There's nothing I love more than seeing a band perform that actually looks like THEY are having a blast, too. These boys were dancing around, talking to the audience...very engaging. Everyone's heads in the sea of people below were bobbing in unison (including a dude with a realllly sweet afro), and after a couple of songs, many were dancing along with the band. Their stage set-up really added to the experience, too. Gauzy lanterns hung at different levels around the stage, that lit up to the beat of the songs, creating a whole light show to go along with the performance. This concert was great to hear AND see. Take a gander:

I only really knew a couple of Grizzly Bear songs well before this, so I was going into this concert kind of blind--and they definitely sold me. I've been listening to old and new Grizzly Bear stuff (new album JUST came out a couple weeks ago) and I'm really liking their sound. Here are some of my faves:

So all in all, this was a...beary good night of music and entertainment. (TC Bear &) I give it two thumbs up.

From one Bear to another...

 Next on the concert docket: Passion Pit at (you guessed it...) First Ave!

We heart First Ave!