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Everyone was packed in, sweaty and two feet to my right someone threw up before the show even started. I had no idea what I was in for; I’d never seen Animal Collective live but I had been waiting for months.

As they began to play the large screen displayed a slideshow instead of close ups of the band. It helped take away the need to see them play and instead made the experience all about the music. Every song felt like it was extended for the hour because the music never stopped. The end of each song turned into the start of another.

The first song I fully recognized was “Fireworks” off their previous album Strawberry Jam. It was just beautiful. There is no other description for it. When you spend so much time listening to an album through speakers, it hits you hard to finally hear it all around and feel it in your chest. I remember points in the song when a cool breeze would break in through the heat and it was like the music caused it. I was also impressed by the live versions of songs off Merriweather Post Pavilion. Admittedly there are songs off the album I don’t care for much, but hearing them live proved they could be just as good as the Animal Collective songs I love.

While they played the energy of the music manifested itself in the crowd through dancing and singing. During “Brother Sport” everyone shouted the looped woo’s which was like being a part of the music. Better than anything else was that when the music stopped the energy stayed with me. It’s been two days and I still feel a high from their show.