Despite the lobs thrown at Animal Collective, like they are a festival band, or even worse, a pop band, they still manage to bring the weird and the tunes after close to 20 years as a band. Animal Collective is touring their new album Time Skiffs, released February 4th 2022 off of Domino Records. Songs from their new record nicely weaved in and out of their setlist; the band has managed to maintain an impressively cohesive sound.

L’Rain, a collective fronted by Taja Cheek opened for Animal Collective. L’Rain hails from Brooklyn and is known for their experimental sound and improvisational arrangements. Screams and wails, sounds of rain and of the city weaved in-between a bass, drums, and Cheek’s guitar to deliver an impressive, albeit sparse performance.

Animal Collective ultimately sold The Paradise out that evening, so by the time L’Rain’s performance ended, it was quite tight in one of Boston’s most notorious venues. (Setlist Here) Time Skiffs is the band’s first album in 6 years and marks the return of Deakin, who sat out the tour and the recording for Painting With.

Animal Collective and L’Rain both delivered great shows and would see them both again in a second. Definitely check out L’Rain if you haven’t before and listen to AC’s new album, it’s actually pretty good.