What do you do on Halloween weekend, while visiting one of the most creative cities in the country? You dress up like a freak, and wait in line for tix to Of Montreal, who played The Warfield last night. The long line of freaks gained the attention of a number of Market St’s alcohol-starved panhandlers, that is until everyone’s attention was stolen by the 2000000 costumed bikers strolling-by on their October Critical Mass.

After escaping the spare-change-fiends, attendees found themselves inside a pretty cool opera house with a general admission floor. After a quick inter-stellar-moon-message Janelle Monae took the stage. What a trip, if you ever wondered what James Brown was like live, in his prime, this is probably a great example. Killer dance moves, rose pedals, boners, and an abstract expressionist jam session later, Janelle set the bar insanely high for the headliner. When they brought out the easel and canvas, part of me was hoping she would use that tuft of hair on her head as a paintbrush. Alas.
Of Montreal’s theatrics were totally on target. With more costumes than a Slipknot show, the bands sexual interpretive dance emitted enough warm energy to erupt a disco-stick. Totally fun set which, in the spirit of Halloween, included a cover of Thriller as an encore.