Band Preview for MMX: Of Montreal

Of Montreal, actually from Athens, Georgia, is a live spectacle. Gangly frontman Kevin Barnes is sprawled out on stage in a black leather corset, fishnet stockings and aqua leather boots. Equally as extravagant, his band comrades don massive, cotton candy pink wings coupled with paper, 3-D glasses; multiple costume changes occur throughout the set. This could all be a contrived ploy, except their outrageous get-ups fit perfectly when listening to songs such as the mind-warping instrumental, “October is Eternal,” coincidentally written for a theatrical piece.

Heading the neo-psychedelic rock revival alongside the short-lived label, Elephant 6 (Apples in Stereo, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Elf Power), Of Montreal set out to combine their unpredictable, dreamy-rock landscapes with ultra-catchy melodies. Take the song, “Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games,” from their widely-praised 2005 album, “The Sunlandic Twins.” It's laden with synth sounds emblematic of The Flaming Lips, a funky bass line and 60s pop. Enough that chain eatery Outback Steak House reconfigured the melody into an infamous TV commercial jingle

Now, this quirky outfit is back and armed with their stellar 2007 release, “Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?” for a two-day stint at the Avalon. Though this album is the most lyrically dark of their 12(!) releases, they intend to bring melodrama, chaos and dance-worthy goodness to all. It's been a wild year for the band, with Barnes playing a bunch of songs in the nude in Vegas earlier this year and the recent departure of their bassist during the Pitchfork Music Festival. Expect to hear songs from Of Montreal's upcoming “Skeletal Lamping” album, like “Softcore” and “Feminine Effects,” which have been in recent set lists. One thing is for sure—Darth Vader will be prancing around on stage.

—Jessica Tong