Our Rating: A+

When it comes to performing, Kevin Barnes, lead singer and frontman of the band of Montreal, sure knows how to please an audience. On April 5, Barnes and the band performed at The Ground in Miami Beach alongside fellow indie band Yip Deceiver and local band Haute Tension. A perfect blend of synthpop, neo-psychedelia and indie rock, of Montreal puts on a show that is both a musical and visual experience.

Since their formation in 1996, of Montreal has released 15 albums each one with a unique sound not quite like the other. Over the years, the band’s sound has evolved from the indie rock of their earlier albums to the more electronic synthpop of their most recent album, “White Is Relic/Irrealis Mood.” From classics such as “Chrissy Kiss the Corpse” to iconic hits such as “Gronlandic Edit” and “its different for girls,” Barnes covered almost every one of his musical “eras” which was a pleasant surprise to fans. However, no matter what the musical style, Barnes’s sweetly crooned the melodies of every song voice as fellow band members Clayton Rychlik, Jojo Glidewell, Davey Pierce and Nicolas Dobbratz perfectly harmonized.

“I love of Montreal and I especially loved that [Kevin Barnes] played songs from across all of his discography because I personally know more of their older songs and was still able to have a really great time,” senior Isabella D’Ottone said.

Throughout the entire show, Barnes rhythmically bounced up and down the stage alternating between singing and dancing. The combination of his high-energy performance style with the bright and colorful flashing lights only added to the performance and thrilled the crowd. And as if that weren’t enough, for almost every song there was either a group of three back up dancers in strange costumes or a giant prop that would dance alongside the band on stage; the show was nothing short of a psychedelic experience played to the sound of of Montreal.

The venue also significantly enhanced the overall experience; The Ground is a small venue in Downtown that fits around only 500 people. The smaller size of the venue allowed fans to get closer to the stage and see the show from up close, an opportunity that is hard to find since most concerts are held in overcrowded stadiums where the band can only be seen as a blip in the distance.

“Getting to see of Montreal live and up close was truly amazing – I was only one row of people away from the stage,” senior Anna De la O said.

When it comes to concerts, of Montreal’s embodied everything that one would expect. From the opening acts to the encore, Barnes knew how to enthrall old fans and new fans alike.