Underground Arts—an unassuming concert venue tucked just a few blocks north of Reading Terminal Market—sure lives up to its name. Upon entry, guests head down a stairwell into a music hall. With concrete floors, exposed brick, and hulking structural pillars, the place feels industrial, maybe even drab—but the barebones design provides a blank canvas for creativity. And on this Thursday night in late March, it’s filled with a symphony of sounds and a kaleidoscope of colors.
Of Montreal, an indie–pop band hailing from Athens, Ga., has taken over Underground Arts for a night on their tour celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their tenth studio album The Sunlandic Twins. By showtime, the crowd spans ages, genders, and cultures, united in their desire to hear genre–bending tracks.
Instead of a typical concert setlist where a band opens and closes with its most well–known tunes and reserves the middle for new songs or those only hardcore fans recognize—Of Montreal plays the album straight through—in order and in full. This structure brings the symbiosis between tracks to the forefront, creating a more cohesive, harmonious experience throughout the show.
Even before the band takes the stage, Underground Arts is full. On the concrete floor, patrons of all ages (21 and over) stand shoulder to shoulder, milling around and angling for the best view. Onstage, a lone microphone glows against a blue backdrop, heralding the sounds everyone is present to witness.
Once the band takes the stage, they don’t burst into song. Instead, they remain silent. New–age sounds play over the venue’s speakers as a group of dancers stand motionless in all white. The album cover art for The Sunlandic Twins, resplendent in warm reds and oranges, is projected onto the screen behind them. Perhaps to pass the time, or maybe to add their own artistic flair, some guests use their hands to create shadow puppets.
Soon enough, lead singer Kevin Barnes begins the performance. Dressed in a reflective snap–up jacket, straight hair brushed to the side, his voice resonates throughout the venue. Working in harmony with the rest of the band, Barnes lends his signature flair to the evening.
As Barnes and the rest of the group make their way through the album, probing lights and the projected background continuously oscillate between various colors and patterns. From polka dots during their performance of “Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games” to a myriad of other schemata, the colors add another dimension to the performance, lighting up the gray floors, walls, and pillars of the venue.
But the strength of performance extends beyond just Barnes. Bassist Ross Brand, who has been with the band since 2022, delivers a standout showing. Each Of Montreal member contributes to a faithful recreation of the album’s sound. Meanwhile, a troupe of background performers heightens the ambience of the show, donning various costumes to hype up the crowd.
One of the most memorable outfits worn by this group of performers appears during the band’s performance of “The Party’s Crashing Us.” Wearing jackets and headgear resembling disco balls, they hold strobe lights aloft, transforming Underground Arts into something closer to a nightclub than an indie concert hall.
