When it comes to entertainment in Chattanooga, the first few weeks of the year historically have been a bit lifeless, but the times they are a-changin’.
Thanks to some well-attended shows in recent years at Track 29 and other venues, Chattanooga has become a much bigger blip on bands’ touring radars, and some groups are starting to route to us instead of through us.
For instance, tonight, Jan. 16, Athens, Ga.-based indie pop eccentrics Of Montreal will play Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. If you were fortunate enough to see Kevin Barnes and company when they swung through to play Track 29 in 2012, you know the band’s shows are a blast, a flamboyant whirlwind of color and whimsy, onstage and off.
In typical Of Montreal fashion, the band has been in a state of flux since its last Scenic City appearance. Barnes recorded with a largely reworked ensemble for the group’s 12th album, “Lousy With Sylvianbriar.” As might be expected, such pronounced membership upheaval means Of Montreal’s music is being reinterpreted through a new filter, which should freshen up the group’s entire catalog. That is to say: New year, new band.
I’ll certainly miss on-again, off-again looping guru K. Ishibashi, who left Of Montreal in 2012 to pursue a promising solo career, but the prospect of seeing this newest iteration seems well worth Rhythm & Brews’ $20 asking price. Downbeat is at 9 p.m.