[photos by CJ McGregor]

A Dan Deacon concert, to put it lightly, is organized chaos. A high level of energy can always be expected with spastic electronic jams, but Dan is a smart guy. He knows that when you have a willing audience and a creative mind, the possibilities can be endless. He had the crowd jumping through hoops and having a blast doing it.

The common theme amongst Dan Deacon’s activities was getting everyone dancing. Some examples included one person would be picked to lead a dance, two sides of the room having a dance off contest, or everyone running in a circle. There was never a dull moment either, as a mosh pit was always up when no orders were given. Even the most reserved person could have found the courage to dance at this show.

There were a strange menagerie of support acts tonight, all of whom are touring together with Dan in a modified and motley school bus proudly on display outside the venue. Present tonight were a curious, nerdy comedian, an indie rock duo, and a rap rock group. All played in quick succession with shortened sets, and none left any lasting impression for me. Dan Deacon’s set time went on to be about an hour and a half following the openers.

This tour is in support of his new album, America, which features the killer single, True Thrush. It’s a song so good that a smartphone app was developed for it. What it does is tie in to Dan Deacon’s control panel when it’s played live, turning everyone’s screens different colors to the beat. Mine didn’t work, but it was undeniably cool to witness in action around me. A Dan Deacon show can easily be defined as a sum of these engaging ideas realized.