Glass Animals–Photo by Danielle Gornbein

Glass Animals, the Oxford, England quartet are very much back in the limelight with their sophomore album How To Be A Human Being. On tour supporting their new record, they’ve come out to impress, and impress they certainly did on Sunday night at the Greek Theatre. The Los Angeles crowd cheered as frontman David Bayley bounced into center stage clapping. Beginning their set with new tracks “Life Itself” and “Youth,” fans were once again instantly struck by the group’s exquisitely unique sound.

I first fell in love with Glass Animals in 2014, upon the release of their debut studio record ZABA. Their music has this sense of mystic joy which gives the need to set yourself free. I certainly migrate towards any music that will do just that. With these first couple tracks of the night, Glass Animals have done just that.

With Glass Animals at the forefront, the Greek Theatre lit up with neon lights projecting throughout the audience. Under a giant disco ball the band tore the place down. It was definitely a night full of dancing and connecting between artist and fan. Their whole set was unbelievable. They had large cacti replicas scattered about, Tetris-shaped fixtures bordering, and a watermelon print bass drum. “Pineapples are in my head” is just one of the imagination-stirring lyrics, which carried out with the drummer shaking an instrument that resembled the actual exotic fruit (see photo below).

Honestly the night just got better and better. The energy Baylay exudes is inmeasurable. With his infectious style and strut, he practically looks like a puppet who escaped his puppeteer and has found a stage to wander. The night couldn’t end without his in-crowd encore of Kanye West’s “Love Lockdown.” I mean, passing through the upper row of section A, David really wanted to be one with the crowd. Smashing the fat set list with one of the hits off their latest record, Glass Animals closed up a blissful set with “Pork Soda” (not to be confused with Primus). Fans at the Greek Theatre got everything and more.

Words & Photography: Danielle Gornbein