There are many people who don't have very high expectations of today's youth. Generation Y has been characterized as reclusive, narcissistic, selfish, and resentful. Drug usage and underage drinking are on the rise. Kids are beating the crap out of each other and posting the videos on YouTube.
Since Sunday night, however, I gained a renewed respect for our country's future leaders: These kids like good music. Looking out at Avalon's capacity crowd of teenagers (and a few of their chaperones), I spent some time recollecting what my peers listened to in high school. While Kris Kross, Right Said Fred, and Color Me Badd dominated the charts, my circle of friends was hooked on Stone Temple Pilots and still hanging on to Def Leppard - pretty depressing, actually. I like to think that if Of Montreal had been around when I was 14, I would have been a fan.
Sunday's concert at Avalon was the first time I'd experienced Of Montreal live, and it most likely will not be the last. The show was pure fun. Kevin Barnes and company demonstrated that their absurdity does not stop at their song titles (“We Were Born the Mutants Again with Leafling”), as the performance featured a three-headed dragon, Darth Vader, a creepy guy in a white body suit slithering around the stage, our fearless leader on a ladder wearing a 10-foot tall dress, and yes, a healthy dose of Barnes' alter-ego, Georgie Fruit (with numerous wardrobe changes).
With all of the band's antics, it would be understandable to overlook what they were doing musically, but, in this case, it is impossible. As a front man, Barnes has the complete package — charisma, style, dance moves, boundless energy, and extraordinary musical talent — and the rest of the band did a great job bringing his songs to life onstage.
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