Britt Witt on May 19th, 2014

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Why it took so long for this show to sell out, the spirits only know. But to packed El Rey Theatre on Saturday night, the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger and Fever the Ghost delivered psychedelic experiences both whimsical and moving. They left the crowd – with its fair share of men with women’s hair and industry who’s who (hello, Rodney Bingenheimer) – fairly giddy.

GOASTT, the collaboration between Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl, headlined, having recently released their sophomore album “Midnight Sun.” But to the early arrivals, local quartet Fever the Ghost was a revelation. As Lennon himself said later in the evening: “I knew within 13 seconds that this was one of the best bands I have ever heard.”

Together for just over a year, with a couple of short tours, SXSW and Austin Psych Fest now on their resumé, Fever the Ghost displayed next-level energy at the El Rey. Gone were their token stage antics of full-body suited dancers, 8-bit interludes and between-song wonkiness; instead, singer-guitarist Casper Indrizzo [pictured at left], keyboardist Bobby Victor, drummer Nick Overhauser, bassist Mason Rothschild focused on their intense aural kaleidoscope, a labyrinth of Indrizzo’s guitar, Overhauser’s ever-changing rhythms, Bobby Victor’s incessant keys and sampling modules and thick bass lines.

Opening with a slowed, chopped version of “Maritime Mammals” (which they played in full and at pace later in the set), they immediately suspended the sold-out crowd with a robust, mellifluous march into their instrumental narrative. Behind them, visuals of volcanos, to intricate color patterns, apocalyptic scenarios, liquid spectrums and 3D-rendered faces enhanced the brilliant and intense textures of the sound. Their aesthetic is not a flashback to what psychedelia was; it’s the sum of a few decades’ worth of ideas rolled into one colorful thought bubble.

As for Lennon, the live incarnation of the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger tickles your brain, your funny bone and everything in between. The prologue, featuring two shimmering dancers with streamer wands and a cloaked speaker, calmed the profound impression Fever the Ghost left with a comedic aside that went something like this: “… The saga of Fever the Ghost and The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger: Pt. 1 Laptop, Pt. 2 Lettuce, Pt. 3 Robot” and concluded in a chant, “Eat the fucking rabbits!”

While Lennon controlled the standard lead singer responsibilities such as stage banter and crowd interaction, the rest of the band, co-fronted by Muhl, holds it own. Donning a 3-foot cone cap to commence the hypnosis, GOASTT made their psychedelic presence known through composed instrumental throttle. Musically, GOASTT stays true to their recordings, playing tracks in almost perfect succession from “Midnight Sun.” They took an incredible turn on Peggy Lee’s 1946 single “Golden Earrings,” bumping the chorus with jazz organ and cymbal splashes, enhancing to Bond-theme-song level with an orchestral backing.

About halfway through the set, Lennon thanked the crowd at the El Rey, “and in honor of my happiness of being here, I’m going to give you all a gift and not sing this next song.” And Muhl took the lead on “Johannesburg,” an especially sultry change of pace. Throughout, Lennon endeared himself to the crowd with talking hands, knee grinds and stage glides, with Muhl slinking in her comfort zone and their bandmates providing feathery harmonies. Substituting drug-inducing instrumental warps for equally quirky, yet sober, guitar wahs and whimsical melodies, GOASTT brought enough soul, good nature and comic relief to distinguish them from the pack.

Graciously inviting the crowd to hang out after the show, Lennon said, “I’ll be at the merch booth for however long it takes to see all of you,” and in another one of his many accents,”Meelk and cookies for everyone!”

Photos by Samantha Barrows