Neon Indian Take Live Cues From Blue Man Group

Posted on Sep 1st 2010 4:00PM by Alex Suskind
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Jordan Strauss, WireImage

Replicating any recorded music to the live setting, particularly tracks that includes complex sounds and effects, can have band members playing the role of both musician and mad scientist. Neon Indian are a perfect example of this. Lead singer Alan Palomo -- who is known for his elaborate table setup of synthesizers and other miscellaneous effects units -- compares his band to another group familiar with taking on both of these responsibilities.

"I almost feel like we've fallen into the pattern of the Blue Man Group, just adding new things so you're always on edge during the set," Palomo tells Spinner. "It's never completely predictable. That probably just fuels a lot of the passion of playing live, even just the troubleshooting aspect where it's like 'Wow, I have 30 seconds before I have to play this line. How do I make sound come out?'"
Perhaps it's Neon Indian's improvisation that has helped fuel the excitement and anticipation behind their concerts, which have gained something of a cult following since the band released their debut LP, 'Psychic Chasms' in late 2009. After playing shows across the country and overseas, fans now come to each Neon Indian show expecting a full-blown dance party, particularly after the band made headlines for their late-night set at this year's Bonnaroo Festival, which drew their biggest crowd ever: 10,000 excited and energetic concertgoers mesmerized by the group's analog synth riffs and neon light setup.

Whether Neon Indian play to thousands or hundreds, Palomo has come to embrace the unexpected when it comes to performing. "We've definitely had quite a few times where I've hit something and looked around and said 'What, nobody else heard that? F---!' Then you're immediately scurrying to repair it," he said. However, he does admit that the live shows "require a little bit of resourceful re-contextualization. [A show] is more geared towards sonic exploration as opposed to just the execution of it. If that was the case, things would get boring really quick."

Even so, with their mix of catchy and layered lo-fi synth tracks, it's hard to imagine a concert like Neon Indian's being anything close to boring.

Watch Neon Indian Live at Bonnaroo