There’s something special about MusicNOW performances; something more than just seeing your favorite bands play in a reverently quiet 600-capacity theater. There’s something magical about the tiny fest, and Grizzly Bear’s performance was the perfect example of that. Their trip to Cincinnati fell marks the beginning of a great time for the band — opening for Paul Simon later this month before going on tour with Radiohead this fall.

MP3: Grizzly Bear – He Hit Me (The Crystals)

Strangely, my favorite part of Grizzly Bear’s set wasn’t their hit songs (“Knife”) or even my regular favorites (“On a Neck, on a Spit” — which was still incredible). Rather, I loved what they did with the songs that don’t usually receive that much attention. Horn of Plenty‘s “Service Bell” was absolutely fantastic. With the full band fleshing out the formerly-sparse song, it rose to be one of the more transcendental moments of the festival. We were also treated to a fantastic performance of the Crystals’ “He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss),” which I’d never seen them perform, and their new song “While You Wait for the Others.”

More photos below.