Review and Photos by Danielle Boise
Of Monsters and Men
Perfect sums up the evening spent with the Icelandic indie-rock band Of Monsters and Men at Chastain Park Amphitheatre on Friday, Oct. 9, with 70s Swedish throwback band, Amason opened for them. The weather was delightfully crisp, as the fall temps held true for an enthusiastic, yet mellow evening spent out with friends. With a perfect blend of harmonies, Of Monsters and Men’s songs felt more like a collective of town troubadours telling a beautifully crafted story, set to striking chords with a gorgeous light show added into the mix.
From “I Of The Storm” to “Crystals” to “Dirty Paws” Of Monsters and Men did not disappoint, the raw power of Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir reminded me of a younger Bjork to Ragnar Þórhallsson well-timed collaboration on vocals and guitar. This is a band that truly is unified and sounds exactly the same in person as their albums. They took a little time in between numbers to talk a bit about the history of certain songs. “This is the first song that we came together with. It’s kind of laid back. It’s good in the darkness,” Ragnar Pórhallsson described of the song, “Backyard,” while the song “Lakehouse” was written about the Icelandic summers.
There is something fascinating and wonderful about the live music experience. Not only seeing your favorite band live, but the comraderies of fellow concert goers. Sharing a collective experience with other fans. There is an enlightenment to the entire process. And one of the best experiences is getting to see Of Monsters and Men. They wrap up their North American tour on in Los Angeles on Oct. 18 before heading back to Europe. If you get a chance, don’t pass up seeing this band live. Completely worth the ticket price.
Of Monsters and Men North American Tour Dates
Oct. 11 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Festival
Oct. 13 – Broomfield, CO @ 1st Bank Center
Oct. 14 – Magna, UT @ The Great Saltair
Oct. 16 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre U.C. Berkeley
Oct. 17 – Sand Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU
Oct. 18 – Los Angeles, CA @ An Evening with OMAM: MusiCares Benefit Concert at El Rey ***SOLD OUT***
Full Photo Gallery Of Monsters and Men
Full Photo Gallery of Amason