"A Golden Prize" -- Apes & Androids @ Bowery Ballroom 5/30

At what will surely be branded the weirdest concert of the year, I was amongst the sold-out faithful in attendance Friday night to check out Brooklyn indie art-punks Apes & Androids do their thing at the Bowery Ballroom. And although I'm naturally inclined to show these guys some support (bandleaders David Tobias and Brian Jacobs went to the same high school as me), I can now understand what the local fuss is about. Because no joke, this band embodies showmanship on a level that is KISS-worthy. Even before A&A hit the stage, their setup of demon-eyed tiki-heads hinted the early birds what they were in store for. When the quintet finally appeared adorned in their Ziggy Stardust-esque makeup, headbands, and space-aged unitards, confetti cannons blasted as the robotic sound effects of "Blood Moon I" were played over the PA. After another dose of crowd confetti, the band prepped its instruments and segued into "Make Forever Last Forever" -- a tune that could have very well been the futuristic lovechild of Pink Floyd and Radiohead. Tobias and Jacobs played seamlessly off one another, breaking out an arsenal of tricks that included falsetto harmonizing, handclapping, and blazing guitar solos. The band continued with the synthesizer dance funk track "We Don't Understand You" before busting out the percussion on "Golden Prize" -- a tune that featured all five members simultaneously beating their own drums in sync with one another. If this wasn't enough, a plethora glowing beach balls and neon lightsticks were tossed into the crowd midway through the set, adding to the bizarre ambiance. The band played for just over an hour before climaxing with an ironic crowd-chanting cover of "Hey Jude". About thirty cape-wearing friends and family members then proceeded to join the band on stage (a la Polyphonic Spree) and two stilt wearing men costumed in Unicorn-Rat outfits made their way to front of the stage. The ceiling rained one final round of confetti before the band bid the crowd adieu.

In all honestly, a description does not do this show justice. You really had to be there to experience this futuristic circus. In an age when it is so hard for bands distinguish themselves in such a struggling industry, it really is those who are willing to be novel and groundbreaking that are going to shine through. Apes & Androids are a perfect example of this thinking. I wouldn't be surprised if these guys get huge one day. Click HERE for some dude's photos of the show.