Now that finals are mostly over, students are ready to party. They started their weekend early Thursday night and hit the town with a packed show at the Bottleneck for Unknown Mortal Orchestra. With an opener that canceled, the band was the only act on the lineup.

The fans brought their dancing shoes and boogied the night away under the vibrant and bright light display the band brought along with them, while at the same time marveling at the musical skill that graced the stage. We heard a peer refer to Unknown Mortal Orchestra as “a musician’s band,” which made sense from the moment they fired up their set. They played with tempos and rhythms, indulging their drummer in fantastic solos with a flair for jazz technique.

But amidst all their admirable musicianship lay a deep love for danceable beats, and half the fun of this show was watching the students– finally free of their oppressive school stress– let completely loose and dance to their heart’s content (the best dancers were the ones that closed their eyes and kept their arms raised triumphantly into the air).

Cute side note: Unknown Mortal Orchestra was greeted in the venue’s green room with a little note from Har Mar Superstar, who had played the Bottleneck the night before.

Words and photos by Fally Afani