Of Monsters and Men Turn the Hollywood Palladium into a Folk Haven
In contrast to the evening’s cold weather, the Hollywood Palladium was filled with warmth and wonder on November 25th, just two days prior to Thanksgiving. Of Monsters and Men, joined by opening act Árný Margrét, delivered a performance that felt less like a concert, and more like a heartfelt gathering rooted in folk, reflection, and finding shared experiences, emotions, and spaces.
Árný Margrét opened with just her guitar and voice, lighting up the famed venue with her delicate voice. Her set was stripped back, yet all the more meaningful and full of emotion because of it. At one point, she sang in Icelandic, the language that bonds her with the main act of the evening. Though a majority of the audience did not understand the language, in that moment, music was the shared universal language to be understood. Her melodies, soft harmonica touches, and raw vulnerability in her singing created an intimate energy that felt personal and grounding.
When Of Monsters and Men took the stage, they leaned into something truly powerful: connection through music rather than words. The band put together a setlist filled with tracks from their new album, All Is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade, along with several fan favorites from their fifteen-year-long career. Tracks such as “Television Love” and “Dream Team” opened the night, setting a dreamy, slightly nostalgic atmosphere and vibe for the night. “Alligator” brought familiar folk-rock energy, and the tour’s titular “Mouse Parade” highlighted the band’s harmonies. During this track in particular, it was almost as if the crowd had their breaths held, listening with their hearts and souls rather than just their ears.
With “Dirty Paws,” the energy subtly turned brighter. This track brought out more movement and more voices. Settling for the evening with one of their most popular tracks, the band ended their main set with “Little Talks.” Though the audience opted to simply sway to the music and truly take it in for many of the setlist’s other songs, this one in particular garnered the loudest sing along from the crowd. Once “Little Talks” was finished, the band went into “Visitor,” and the main part of the show came to an end.
The closing moments featured an encore performance of “Love, Love, Love” and “Fruit Bat,” and felt like a sigh of gratitude. The layered vocals, the acoustic warmth, and the shared silence between songs emphasized the connection that Of Monsters and Men made with their audience this evening—one that was told and forged through each guitar strum, each drum beat, and each harmony, rather than spoken words.
With Thanksgiving nearly upon us, the evening felt especially resonant. The folk roots of both Árný Margrét and Of Monsters and Men seemed perfectly in tune with a holiday about gratitude, reflection, and togetherness. The Hollywood Palladium, an iconic venue known for its capacity and history, felt cozy and close for the evening. Of Monsters and Men didn’t need pyrotechnics or crazy stage effects to wow their audience and draw people in. Instead, the band relied on their voices, their instruments, and the emotional weight of their songs. Árný Margrét’s soft opening gently set the foundation, while Of Monsters and Men created the connection wholly. Together, they created a space that felt thankful, tender, and honest.
