Buskirk rocked by Grizzly Bear

If you weren’t a full-fledged Grizzly Bear fan, you became one after Tuesday night’s show at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. There’s no use in pretending otherwise.

The band played to a sold-out crowd of more than 600 fans, a hip group who looked like it was there to see and be seen (I would love to know how long it takes the average hipster to achieve the patented I-spend-no-time-on-my-appearance look).

As soon as the doors opened, adoring fans rushed in to fill the space in front of the stage.

The opening act, Here We Go Magic, garnered respect – especially considering the band ran from its van to the stage to kick the show off on schedule. High points in the short set included “Tunnelvision” and “Only Pieces.”

Between the two sets, every available bit of floor space filled with groups of anxious fans, and cheers erupted like a chorus of alarm clocks, set to the exact time the band took the stage.

After exchanging a few witty remarks for shrieks from audience members, Grizzly Bear made short work of entrancing the crowd.

The boys opened with “Southern Point,” the first track from their new record “Veckatimest,” which was released May 26. Cheers continued between songs as lead singer Ed Droste thanked audience members for coming, remarking that the last time the band played a show in Bloomington four years ago, only eight people watched.

They continued to play a set list full of songs from the new album with a few older tracks mixed in. Shouts erupted during the first few unmistakable bars of “Two Weeks,” but fans really went wild for favorites from the last album, “Yellow House.”

“Knife” and “On a Neck, On a Spit” sent some into a frenzy, including one girl who danced like she was possessed, with arms flailing and head swaying as she shouted incoherently at the stage.

But more impressive than any experimental dance moves were Grizzly Bear’s energy and sound. The performance was polished and more powerful than any record player could transmit. Bassist Chris Taylor showed virtuosic skill as he switched from the flute to the clarinet to bass clarinet effortlessly.

“Veckatimest” tracks “Ready, Able” and “Foreground” heightened the end of the show, but not before the band could send out love for its friend and graphic designer Ben Tousley, a 22-year-old IU student who has designed all of the band’s visual materials since “Yellow House.” Taylor praised Tousley, saying, “He’s a very talented graphic designer, and he’s studying right here.”

After just more than an hour and a half, the band said its final thank yous, and fans piled out onto the street, gathering in front of the tour bus with stars in their eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of the foursome.

It was easy to feel the euphoric high out on the sidewalk, and if the dazzled crowd wasn’t evidence enough, take note: Grizzly Bear’s live show is a must-see.