Photo and story by Hayden Goodridge / MTSU Seigenthaler News Service
Psychedelic-rock band Pond brought a taste of their Aussie-absurdity to Bonnaroo’s This Tent during the festival’s sweltering Saturday afternoon.
Pond is a group from the Perth music scene that shares a number of members with their larger sister band, Tame Impala. Though both groups are viewed as pioneering voices in neo-psychedelia movement, they each maintain a distinct sound that sets them apart.
For one, Pond’s frontman, Nick Allbrook, is a bushel of creative lunacy, something he unflinchingly displayed during the band’s set. He showed no reservations against diving headfirst into the arms of fans, singing as he was passed along. Allbrook’s quirky personality was undoubtedly the focus of the audience with his shabby blonde hair, stretched out t-shirt—face of 90’s R&B singer, Kelis, printed on it—and frenzied contortions of his body as he traversed the stage.
But despite Allbrook’s theatrics, Pond’s sound was tightly-crafted with all members in-sync as they emitted fuzzy guitar riffs, grooving basslines, and experimental synths.
Their set was composed mostly of songs from their latest 2017 record, “The Weather,” with groovy songs like “3000 Megatons,” “Sweep Me Off My Feet” and their lengthy “Edge of the World” suite.
As they wrapped up their portion of the day’s musical cavalcade with the meditative song, “The Weather,” Pond waved goodbye to their last concert of their tour before heading back across the world to Australia.
“Thanks a lot,” Allbrook said. “We’re going home.”
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