Neon Indian Trip Out at Canadian Music Fest

Posted on Mar 12th 2010 5:30PM by Jesse Ship
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It was hard to gauge the number of fans who may have taken LSD at the Neon Indian show at Lee's Palace for Canadian Music Week / Canadian Music Fest, but being a Thursday night with the festival still in warm-up mode, it was probably on the low-to-zero side.

However, this did not stop a sizeable fan base from tuning in, turning on and rocking out to tracks like 'Should Have Taken Acid With You', 'Deadbeat Summer' and 'Terminally Chill'.

Neon Indian are one of the buzz bands pegged as part of the new chillwave movement, which is seeing revival since it's inception in the late 80s, early 90s Goth scene. Watching lead singer, Alan Palomo on stage, one might instantly think of the Cure's Robert Smith, as he channels similar self-infatuated, languid stares and a tousled pomp of curls upon his head.

While Neon Indian performed with a full backing band, the sound is really all Alan. He crooned over the mic, while fiddling with multiple feedback pedals and a keyboard, leading his four-piece band with washed out synths and laser loops to beats that referenced George Clinton's electro-funk classic, 'Atomic Dog'.

After a brief 40 minute set, Neon Indian exited stage left, pursued by a pack of fluorescent-clad American Apparel cheerleaders.