SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE OPENED FOR SOLD OUT SHOW AT GREEK

As I made the commute up Vermont in the midst of the congestion of gloomy Los Angeles traffic, I tried to recall the last time I attended a show at The Greek Theatre. It was in a pre-pandemic world that I got to see a 26-year-old Mac DeMarco perform songs off of his 2014 sophomore studio album Salad Days. I felt a similar sense of excitement this time around, but for a different reason. I gave my name and for the first time, made my way through the press entrance of the venue. A bright blue and pink photo pass depicting a wizard fending off a fire breathing dragon with “Animal Collective” written across in a colorful font was waiting for me. This was my first real experience shooting musicians on stage through access of the photo pit with the rest of the press.

I was flooded with a cluster of emotions: I was excited; I was nervous but I also felt ready. My Olympus point and shoot and a Canon hung on my neck. I quickly made it inside the venue early and got a run-down of where I would be during the show. About an hour before Philadelphia opener the Spirit of The Beehive made their way on-stage, I began to position myself for some shots I might want to take by shooting pictures of their gear. Spotted on stage in between moving roadies still setting up, I saw a few Fender Jaguars, a Höfner violin bass and a red Nord Stage 3 keyboard all illuminated by a palette of indigo colored stage lights. 

The seats began to fill as lead vocalist Rivka Ravede calmly lead the way for her bandmates on stage and placed a bottle of Asahi near the pedals of her bass. The crowd applauded their entrance while a sample of a man’s voice introduced them before opening track “ENTERTAINMENT”, off of their 2021 release ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH. The heavy drums and synths contrasted their calm demeanor and entrance, erupting the crowd and giving the audience a good idea of what they were about to experience. I couldn’t help but be happy to shoot such colorful artists in the low light of their powerful performance. The energy of the band remained consistent throughout their set as they navigated themselves sonically through different tones, all carefully held together by their on-stage camaraderie. 

After their set, the Spirit of The Beehive thanked the audience and walked off stage just as calmly as they arrived. All seats were now filled as fans flooded the the pit, some holding 12 inch copies of Strawberry Jam and Centipede Hz as they positioned themselves for a night they’ve been looking forward to. The lights dimmed and changed colors while a subtle fog crept knee-height on stage. I adjusted the aperture on my camera and quickly positioned myself dead center, and from the colorful fog, Avey Tare made his way to the front wielding a black Fender bass.

Colorful banners of fabric hanging behind the band reflected the red and blue lights shining bright on the stage. They break out into “Passer-By” off of their 2022 release Time Skiffs, an album that welcomed old and new fans alike with a refined sound that subtly paid tribute to their past selves and their sound. They followed by revisiting and diving into their discography, playing songs like “Bluish” from critically acclaimed 2009 studio album Merriweather Post Pavilion.

The crowd behind me cheered and sang along, almost enough to distract me from center stage. As I waddled around the press pit with my bulky cameras, I ran into arguably my favorite photographer of all time, Atiba Jefferson. His presence was an honor to me as I realized we were both in the same space shooting the same band. A surreal experience that paralleled the experimental and surreal stage presence of Animal Collective as they effortlessly reached into their bag of extensive music, sounds and colors. Jefferson stayed behind to shoot after the first three tracks, before giving me a nod of approval as I exited the photo pit.

Animal Collective can easily play arenas with their lighting, eclectic discography, and core members Tare, Panda Bear, Geologist, and Deakin each highlighted within the band as well as solo. They ended their encore set with Strawberry Jam favorite “For Reverend Green,” with Tare screaming “I think it’s alright, we’ll sing together now.” The audience did just on a rather intimate hillside, under the painted sky of reds, blues, and greens. Check out the set list here!