OK Go is back in full force with “And the Adjacent Possible,” their first album in over a decade. The Grammy-winning American rock band, founded in 1998, has released five studio albums. Their style encompasses rock, alternative, indie and pop. Beyond their music, OK Go is known for their incredible music videos, and it is highly likely that you watched one back in middle school science class. In their videos, the band has collaborated with Notre Dame’s Band of the Fighting Irish, built a Rube Goldberg machine, floated around in a zero-gravity plane and danced on treadmills. Even more impressive, most were accomplished in one shot. Always pushing the boundaries of imagination, they have given a TED Talk on the topic. The band’s lineup includes Damian Kulash (lead vocals and guitar), Dan Konopka (percussion), Tim Nordwind (bass and vocals) and Andy Ross (guitar, keyboards and vocals).
“And the Adjacent Possible,” released on April 11, is a fantastic album from start to finish. Featuring classic OK Go motifs and themes, the album contains a mix of upbeat, optimistic, slower, faster and heartfelt songs. With the pulsating and exciting opening track “Impulse Purchase,” listeners know: OK Go is ready to rock. Two new music videos were released with the album, including “Love” which utilizes countless mirrors to create in-camera optical illusions and kaleidoscopes, and “A Stone Only Rolls Downhill” which makes elaborate video mosaics on 64 iPhones. Some of my other favorite tracks from the album include “Once More with Feeling,” “Better than This,” “A Good, Good Day at Last” and “Take me With You.”
OK Go’s first international tour in several years—the “And the Adjacent Possible” Tour—launched in South Bend, IN at the Morris Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, April 23.
“It’s wonderful to be back on tour. This is the first show we’ve played in a very long time. So wonderful to see you,” Kulash told the audience. Joined by opening act L.A. Exes, the night was brilliant from start to finish. Following a roughly 40-minute set from L.A. Exes featuring excellent harmonies and upbeat vibes, OK Go began with “This Too Shall Pass.” (The music video features the Notre Dame marching band.) From the first notes, the atmosphere was electric and never slowed—the concert felt like a party. Their set decoration consisted of both LED screens that added color and movement to the music and frequently used confetti cannons. The positive energy of the night was infectious as audience members sang and danced along. Even during the slower songs, the energy didn’t dissipate; rather, the audience respected these emotional moments and returned to rowdiness when the tempo and volume increased.
OK Go is always full of surprises, and this concert was no exception. Rolling out a table full of handbells, they proceeded to play “Shooting the Moon” entirely on bells, showcasing their musical versatility. The handbells were unexpected but nevertheless mesmerizing to hear and watch, easily a highlight of the night.
While changing instruments, Kulash hosted some audience Q&A, generating some of the funniest moments of the show. One of the best interactions was when a very young fan asked, “If you weren’t in a band, what will you be when you grow up?” The answer: a LEGO set designer. When asked about their videos, the band noted “Love” as their favorite. One of the best audience interactions came not as a question, but in a statement of gratitude: “Thank you for teaching physics in the form of your videos.”
Given OK Go’s Notre Dame connection, it wasn’t surprising that the first audience question concerned the “This Too Shall Pass” video. Kulash explained that, after hearing the ND Band cover “Here It Goes Again,” he wanted to collaborate. The video was filmed in October 2009 on land owned by Jesuit priests outside of South Bend. OK Go could film there under one stipulation: that they would promise never to not bring glory to God with their music.
Standout songs from the night included “A Stone Only Rolls Downhill,” “Take Me with You,” “Love,” “Here it Goes Again,” “Obsession” and “I Won’t Let You Down.” The encore consisted of three songs: “A Good, Good Day at Last,” “Upside Down & Inside Out” (the song accompanying the infamous plane video) and “The One Moment.”
I urge you to check out OK Go’s “And the Adjacent Possible” album and concurrent concert schedule this summer. If they will be near you, go and hear them. It’s an incredible live act and the show will surely be a summer highlight.
