Wedged in between two genre-of-the-month metal bands was a breath of fresh air.

Check that. Let me start by saying it’s not that I’m not a fan of happy hardcore, spazz metal, math metal, etc. I respect the musicianship of a lot of those bands. But some of it is just noise, and I’m not gonna sit there and listen, trying to figure out time signatures mathematically. It’s hard enough that these mother fuckers are screaming out of every possible instrument.

With that out of the way, let me begin again by saying that wedged in between two heavy ass, loud metal bands was the Dirty Projectors. I was bitter at the gig already because, frankly, I was just there to see drummer Zach Hill from Hella (who is amazing). I was recovering from the first bands animal force when two girls dressed to conquer a mountain came on the stage, checking their instruments.

Lead singer, David Longstreth, looking like a cross between David Byrne, Jim Carrey and Rivers Cuomo, was dressed in a jacket straight from Cameo’s “Word Up” video. He wore his guitar higher than The Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr. Even if they would’ve played the routine genre-specified metal, I would’ve still been impressed/intrigued just by the way these guys dressed. I mean, it’s damn near 70 degrees at night in Baton Rouge, and the drummer was wearing this sweater/jacket. Then they start playing.

It’s not routine metal, happy hardcore, etc. This is noise pop. The Dirty Projectors play music that sounds reminiscent of kids playing on the playground. While Longstreth plucked an island riff on his guitar, he cooed alongside the harmonizing rhythm section of the Von Trapp family… I mean Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian. And that drummer, Brian McComber, yeah… he can drum…really well.

All those innocent moments from Deerhoof and Animal Collective are magnified by 10 in a Dirty Projectors show, and I’m relieved. Before, my ears were not as impressed as my eyes were with the metal musician theatrics. But when this band played, it was refreshing. Instead of playing over and against each other, the Dirty Projectors play off each others strengths and actually drive music home. And the music is interesting, and I was/am in love with it.

And when the band broke into the final song, “Fucked for Life,” as the girls yelled like opposing sides of a game of Red Rover, as Longstreth provided a little back story during the incessant, childish yells, I couldn’t help but think that these guys captured youth.

Sure, Hella came on afterwards. Zach Hill is probably the best drummer alive. I’m just hoping my ten bucks went to the Dirty Projectors.