Little Dragon Twice

What can I say? Little Dragon live was easily one of the most exciting shows I've ever had the opportunity to experience.

But first, let me tell you about the opening band, Billygoat. These three guys from Portland form a beautiful instrumental trio complimented by a self-made stop-motion projection animation show (which took 17 months to create) that coincides with their music set. This combination, without a doubt, had the audience hypnotically locked into place. I didn't want to look away and miss a mind-blowingly unique scene, like this one. As for their music, it was mystifyingly ambient and majestic all at the same time. There aren't any lyrics, but honestly, it doesn't seem like there needs to be. The music and art speaks for itself. Please put Billygoat on your list of must-sees!

Now for Little Dragon. From the moment they started playing to the second they finished, there was a rich energetic synergy between the band and the crowd. The audience came there with an appetite for deep bass, off-kilter synth, slick drums, and uniquely soulful vocals, and Little Dragon hit the spot. They began their set by playing a few new songs which, not surprisingly, were so fucking fresh that I now find myself impatiently awaiting the release of their newest album (dropping this spring!). The rest of their set was a great mix between their two albums, Little Dragon and Machine Dreams.

No matter what direction Little Dragon decides to take, they do it with such ease and talent that you can always expect to be a great experience. Singer Yukimi Nagano amped us up and encouraged us to sing and dance along. When she wasn't interacting with us, she was dancing and bopping to the beat in the cutest way possible. Her bandmates had such keen on-stage chemistry that it seemed as though they've been doing this for decades. There were times during various jam sessions where Nagano would grab a drum stick and join their drummer, adding to the already infectious beat he was putting down; it was like a game of hot potato between the two of them, never missing a beat. The drummer had a smile on his face for most of their set; it was obvious that he really loved being a part of the band -- it was electrifying; he was indeed the backbone. And Nagano had the crowd wrapped around her finger; she oozed confidence and originality, apologizing to no one.

Scroll down for a photo gallery from the show

One thing I noticed about the audience was that it was one big melting pot. Many ages, many races, many styles, many different preferences... Little Dragon truly has that unifying mass appeal. There was a point during their set when Yukimi hopped off the stage and danced through the entire first-floor crowd. Philly can sometimes be a tough crowd, but they adored Yukimi, without a doubt. I could hear different song titles being shouted at the band in between songs as if the audience never wanted the show to end... and who could blame them?

Little Dragon has got a plethora of undeniably catchy tunes and to hear them live is like satisfying your sweet tooth. There were many times when the band would go instrumentally insane, never letting up or pulling back, always keeping the crowd enthused. Yukimi was a ball of energy and that energy was infectious.

After Little Dragon's explosive set was through, the audience screamed for an encore. Within a minute, Little Dragon was back up on stage and there was a popular demand from the crowd for their song "Constant Surprises." Yukimi even stated that they were going to end the show with a few slow songs, but since the crowd was so adamant about the request, they happily complied. I rarely ever see that happen at a show. The audience was beaming.

They wrapped up their set with the somber "Twice," as if the band was hushing the crowd to sleep. It was calming, soothing, and comfortable. There was a zen in the room that I had never felt before. Before we knew it, the lullaby was over. You know that feeling when you've just left a show that moved you so much that you're experiencing the same giddiness as when you're in love? It's rare, sure, but Little Dragon can and will do this to you. Just give them the chance to woo you.

[nggallery id=20]