Animals As Leaders w/ Plini and Intervals
Studio Seven, Seattle, WA
11.15.16
Gracing Seattle’s Studio Seven to promote their latest album, The Madness of Many, Animals As Leaders were, without a doubt, madness. The band is Tosin Abasi (7-8 string), Javier Reyes (7-8 string), and Matt Garstka (drums/percussion). They were welcomed by a sold out crowd that did not stop pouring in. It was wall-to-wall bodies, upstairs and down. They brought Plini and Intervals to open the show, and these guys are serious on the frets.
Abasi came out swinging with a song off their new record, “Arithmophobia.” Then AAL slid into a journey of songs from “An Infinite Regression,” off their second album Weightless, to “Woven Web,” off their third album, The Joy Of Motion. It was incredible watching the fans in the audience swaying and moving, some doing the air riffs and drums in sync with the band.
The crowd weren’t strangers to the new album either. Abasi took a moment here and there between songs to thank the crowd, smiling to himself during songs when the audience projected the energy back to him. It felt like he didn’t expect such a reaction, which made the experience all the more humbling. Throughout the show, you could see moments where the band connected beyond music and into solidarity of friendship. They all have fun doing what they do and it shows.
They played with such a calm, but delivered a storm. Fingers were sliding across the frets with ease, like skaters on ice. Garstka, on drums, was in the moment as he jazzed us all out with his ridiculous beats in a series of multicultural musical fusions. AAL delivers from a wide spectrum of music, including Latin, jazz, classical, and metal. The combination of musical stylings, electronic and progressive techniques in their songs keeps it all super fluid and interesting.
Get out to see AAL on tour and grab their new album The Madness Of Many.
Animals As Leaders Set List
Arithmophobia
Tempting Time
Infinite Regression
Do Not Go…
Ectogenesis
Nephele
Kascade
Glass Bridge
Brain Dance
Physical
Inner Assassins
Woven Web
Review and photos by Immortal Affliction Photography
Animals As Leaders
Plini/Intervals
