Last updated September 11, 2007 2:42 p.m. PT New York City experimental-music group Animal Collective originated in Baltimore, Md.
, where founding members Avey Tare (David Portner) and Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) met in school. The group (which includes members Deakin and Geologist) has been described as a "noise rock" band, but really can't be categorized because there are so many complex layers of sound, from ambient folk to whacked-out psychotic rock. The group's upcoming show coincides with the September release of "Strawberry Jam," its first album for Domino Records.
Guitarist Deakin described the new album as "chiseled" and "shiver-inducing" in an interview with Billboard magazine. Some of the songs have never been performed live. Animal Collective is touring with Eric Copeland and Wizard Prison, whose Scott Colburn has mixed and engineered albums for Animal Collective and Arcade Fire.
Wizard Prison's multimedia shows include video and music enhanced by a make-believe prison.
