The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

In review: OK Go at Zorn Arena

Hey OK Go, remember when you were youngsters, parading around in your backyard and hopping from treadmill to treadmill? Or even younger, when you were writing angsty pop tunes about failing relationships and annoying ex-girlfriends?

Well, I hate to break it to you, but I think you grew up a bit.

OK Go played at the Zorn Arena last Thursday night to a moderately excited crowd of a couple thousand.

It’s been almost five years since OK Go released its last album, 2005’s Oh No, and it shows in the pop-rockers. Songs that were originally quick jaunts through Damian Kulash’s vocal hooks and Tim Nordwind’s infectious bass lines were extended, warped and matured.

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“Get Over It,” OK Go’s first single off of its 2001 self-titled debut clocks in at just over three minutes on the album, but featured an extended interlude during the performance, with spacious interplay between Kulash and Andy Ross, the second guitarist.

OK Go played 17 songs in total, with six coming from its yet-to-be-released third album, Of the Blue Colour of the Sky. The looming maturity of the band’s music shone through in its new tracks, which were intricately crafted.

“Skyscrapers” and “Shooting the Moon” (the latter being featured on the sound track for soon to be released film “New Moon”) demonstrated the complexity of the upcoming releases by OK Go.

Much of that influence sounds like it could be attributed to producer Dave Fridmann, who the band has been working with on its upcoming release. Fridmann produced most of The Flaming Lips discography, and the similarities between these two groups are growing quickly.

Visually, OK Go employed many aspects of stage design The Flaming Lips have been using for years, including artistic video and close-up cameras attached to the microphone.

OK Go’s set was not flawless, and the band seemed to be out of practice, but it still managed to put on a high-energy show. The show progressed well and interspersed new and old songs throughout. Kulash’s stage banter and comfort on stage confirmed the fact that he is a truly charming performer. (It’s not like I’ve had a man-crush on him since I was 13 or anything.)

The highlight of the show came late with the new track “This Too Shall Pass (When the Morning Comes).” The track, which channeled Coldplay or The Killers’ knack at epic song writing, involved the crowd and lifted the energy of the gymnasium to a new high.

OK Go will always possess a youthful charm in its songs, but its maturation is a step in the right direction. The complexity of the new material shows how precise the band is in its song crafting and how broad its range of influences is.

Hopefully, if nothing else, the new album will be good enough for people to forget about those dances.

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In review: OK Go at Zorn Arena