Concert Picks: Bassnectar, Animal Collective, Reality Addiction…

The majority of the bands for this weekend’s picks are so convoluted in style and sound that they just work. It’s as if they have the nerve to leave you a little scared and confused and think it’s okay – and sure enough, it is. Check them out below, along with the styles of other more traditional bands (but never less complex).

• Bassnectar | Friday, May 29 | 8:00 pm | $20 | Henry Fonda Music Box Theater, Hollywood, CA – Map | The experimental electronic free-form project as helmed by Lorin Ashton is self-described as “omni-tempo maximalism”, but we are into the multi-genre effect as well, from 16th century classical music to beat-boxing and ambient rock. Bassnectar will be playing venues in numerous cities across the greater US this summer. Click here for tickets.
• Animal Collective | Friday, May 29 | 9:00 pm | $15-$91 | Wiltern Theater, Los Angeles, CA – Map | Pre-planned, artful chaos, that’s Animal Collective. We feel cool just listening to them. We are still agog at their structured lack of structure and are stoked that the rest of the world has caught on, too – even if it means buying tickets a little bit farther in advance.  Try your luck; call (213) 380-5005.
• Tortoise | Saturday, May 30 | 8:00 pm | $20 | 21+ | The Bell House, New York, NY – Map | A flurried combination of jazz, and electronica coupled with frequent interjections of various horns, rhythm and percussion instruments aids to a whirlwind experience of the mostly-instrumental sort. The Chicago-based post-rock ensemble will be playing with The Bird Show. For more information, call (718) 643-6510.

• moe. | Saturday, May 30 | 9:00 pm  | $27.50 | The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA – Map | moe.rons unite; the critically acclaimed progressive rock jam band will heat up the San Francisco scene Saturday night as well as Sunday, May 31 – same time, same venue. Click here for tickets.
• Reality Addiction | Sunday, May 31 | 10:00 pm | Arlene’s Grocery, New York, NY – Map | A little bit of Hinder, Jimmy Eat World and perhaps Incubus, the New Jersey-based band takes a tried and true genre and manages to make it fresh and intriguing. Having primarily played to east coast venues, we are are very interested in seeing where else they’ll garner attention in the next , say, six months. Yes, boys; that was a friendly challenge. Bring it. For more information, call (212) 358-1633.

Photo by Amy Whitehouse