I hold these truths to be self evident: 1. Super Furry Animals are one of the top ten bands of all time.  2. The Super Furry Animals put on one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen.  3. Out of all of the bands putting out music in the world today, the Super Furries are one of the most creative, dynamic, and perhaps just downright weird bands I’ve ever heard or witnessed in the flesh.

Super Furry Animals' set was definitely without the doubt the most accomplished of the three, making Saturday night’s show at Metro fit in with their best live performances. This was the fourth time I’ve seen them and every time I see they are making the trip from Wales to my city, my heart wells in its own fit of glee. I firmly believe this band has changed the world with its music and will hopefully continue to do so for a very long time to come. When you see them live, it’s just fantastic and brilliant. The songs you’ve grown to love are taken to a whole new level giving them their own altered personalities. Unlike many other bands' shows where I’m checking the clock to see how much longer until they finish, I stood there hoping the SFA set will never end.

Their live set this time was slightly more subdued costume wise (only lead singer Gruff Rhys only wore his large helmet for a couple of songs to mark the beginning and end. And this performance was also missing the video component they’ve brought with them in the past), but this could not deter the glory of some of my favorite songs performed with such energy that you couldn’t help thinking of a band of mythological proportions.  “Golden Retriever” was a definite highlight with such a drive to it in the guitar playing and such dynamic stage presence that it was difficult not to be in complete awe.  “Receptacle for the Respectable” was also flawless with Gruff making live carrot crunching sound effects. They also played my favorite song of their entire catalog, "Zoom!" which filled the club with orchestral pop wonder. Though Hey Venus! has not impacted me as much as Love Kraft, they played my favorite two songs from that including “Into the Night” and “Baby Ate My Eightball.” Their most recent eighth studio album to date definitely shows the band continuing to explore their psych rock roots but with some more ballady numbers tucked between such as “Suckers!” You also have to respect a band that holds up signs asking to avoid phony encores, even if it means that the night of music is over.  It’s more real that way and it ends on a perfect high note, this time with the glorious “Cosmic Trigger.”

Click to see the complete photoset

Setlist:
Slow Life
Rings
Gateway-Runaway
Golden
Do or Die
Neo Con
Spies
Gift
Earth
Zoom
Receptacle
Juxtapose
Into the Night
8 Ball
Ice Hockey Hair
Calimero
Hello Sunshine
Man Don't Give
Cosmic Trigger

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