Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
For a few minutes on Thursday night, patrons at the Columbia Museum of Art were teleported to Antarctica with a large helping of psychedelia from Of Montreal - an Athens based indie rock band part of the Elephant Six Collective. Leading a Nimrod Expedition of their own (but with support from the Indie Grits Film Festival), they made landfall in McMurdo Sound and immediately trekked up to Mt. Erebus for a party of sorts. Local musician Katherine McCollough found passage on the ship and being more knowledgeable than me on the vaudeville inspired performers I decided to ask her for some insight on Of Montreal.
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
How would you describe the band to someone who has never heard of them?
"Their sound can change a lot from one album to the next, but the adjectives hyper-literate and ornate apply to most of their discography."
What was your favorite part of the show?
"Of Montreal has been a really important band to me since 8th or 9th grade. I've seen them five times and it's always neat to me to look back on how I've grown and how my relationship to their music has changed since the last time I saw them. On a less weirdly heavy note, I also really enjoyed dancing with my friends Max and Ony."
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Favorite Album: Hissing Fauna
Favorite songs: "Plastis Wafers" "Spiteful Intervention" and "I Feel Ya Strutter"
Best song to dance to: "The Party's Crashing Us"
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Mood Rings (Atlanta) and fk mt. (Columbia, SC) also took part in the adventure and I chatted with Ryan from the former about the evening at the museum.
The museum is not your typical venue and Of Montreal is not your typical band, so how was the atmosphere and dynamics playing a show like that?
"IT WAS TERRIFYING. The sound at the art museum was extremely different than anywhere else we've played. We normally play for 40-50 people, so playing this show felt a lot less personal."
What was your favorite part of the night?
"My favorite part of the night was definitely playing. It's my outlet and without it I'd probably go insane."
When are you guys getting costumed interpretative dancers?
"Of Montreal's dancers were really nice so maybe i can just convince them to join Fuck Mountain."
What are your favorite 3 Of Montreal Songs?
My top three are Grolandic Edit, Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games, and Disconnect the Dots."
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford
Of Montreal at the Columbia Museum of Art - PhotosIndie Grits with Of Montreal and FKMT in Columbia, SC - April 2014 - Photo by South Carolina photographer Sean Rayford