By Anthony Clark.
Journalists take a close interest in a bicycle on a small road in Schermbeck, western Germany, on Tuesday, after police captured Peter Paul Michalski, the second of two fugitives who escaped from prison in Aachen, last week. Michalski and Michael Heckhoff, who were recaptured Sunday, were serving sentences for murder and attempted murder respectively. (Frank Augstein/Associated Press)
Rather than break a performance’s spell, Animal Collective and a handful of like-minded bands seamlessly segue from one song to the next. Their sets often include moments of quiet, but the absence of complete silence means there is no designated time for applause. Instead of clapping politely as the rock stars onstage indulge in inane banter that breaks the spell of a good concert, we cheer when Animal Collective’s music soars to its all-consuming zenith. Rather than detracting from the power of the moment, this nearly involuntary applause intensifies it.