Live: Final Fantasy @ Music Box at Fonda, 11.15.09

[svgallery name=”20091115finalfantasy”]

All photos by David Greenwald

The most surprising thing about Final Fantasy’s intriguing set were the three school uniform-clad girls standing directly behind me, tingling with the kind of teenybopper anxiety usually reserved for the Jonas Brothers. “Can you believe Owen Pallett is going to be right there?” one wondered before the curtain rose, while a few minutes later, one tried to convince the others the three of them should loudly proclaim their love for him early in the set in order to earn a glance — perchance, a wave of his hand! There’s hope for the next generation yet. As you can see, Owen was certainly dreamy enough in the flesh to justify the gushing (although I swear I see a similiarity to Kenneth the Page), but the real star of the show were the new songs — virtuosic, vivid pieces that married art-house cool to pop sincerity. I look forward to seeing Twihards tearing their hair out when Heartland hits iTunes next year.