Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise

On Wednesday night, the Elephant 6's Holiday Surprise Tour rolled into town, unexpectedly I might add, since for a long time it appeared as if this was a tour only the East Coast would be privileged enough to see. About 200 people huddled into Backspace for a chance to hear the E6 family perform eclectic songs from Olivia Tremor Control, Elf Power, Circulatory System, and Major Organ and the Adding Machine. Those three hours of music also offered weird films and games that the audience were invited to participate in. This truly gave the evening that carefree, joyful vibe this group is known for. One game, hosted by Julian Koster (Neutral Milk Hotel, The Music Tapes), centered around one audience member's quest to aim a giant snowball at a target, that if hit, would cause the collective to play any song that person wanted. 20 minutes later, we got to see them perform The Cars' "Just What I Needed" in a disheveled, but highly entertaining manner. There is something about their musical style that didn't require perfection. This looseness allowed them to throw out improvisational, chaotic arrangements that achieved their signature Elephant 6 sound. The most memorable moment of the night was their finale. It was a cover of Sun Ra's "Enlightenment," done up with full lyrics and a march from the stage and into the audience. A fine conclusion to a night I've waited on for years.