The *Cornelius Group* graced Webster Hall last night with their "Sensuous Synchronized Show," a balletic choreography of sound and visuals. The Japanese foursome, fronted by Keigo Oyamada, played two solid hours of their unclassifiable experimental sound, a soup of of dissonance and conventional harmonies, played on electronic and traditional instruments (complete with chimes, flutes, and a theramin). The music is mind-blowing in itself, but what elevates this show beyond even the electropop Carnivale of Fischerspooner (the second-best live show ever) is the visual extravaganza. Projected on a huge screen behind the band is a dizzying series of videos by artist Koichiro Tsujikawa, using techniques ranging from stop-motion and cell animation to clip samples from old Nixon footage. Each video is timed, with double-dose-of-Desoxyn precision, to the music.

Some of my Flickr pics, here.