On Friday night, Grizzly Bear hit the Hollywood Forever Cemetery before their appearance at Outside Lands in San Francisco this weekend. The show was the last headlining appearance this year for Grizzly Bear.

From New York, Grizzly Bear’s sound can be described as psychedelic meets folk rock. Their latest album is not as experimental as the previous three, as it's far more refined and focused in its sound.

Friday ended their world tour from their critically acclaimed album "Shields," released last September. Despite their lack of Grammy nominations, Metacritic rates the album an 86 out of 100, far higher than those artists who won. Just saying. 

If Grizzly Bear’s name doesn’t sound familiar, they broke into the mainstream with their single “Two Weeks” back in 2009, which can now be heard in various commercials. 

Opening for Grizzly Bear on Friday was the band Regal Degal. Also from New York, the band has accompanied Grizzly Bear on its lag leg of the west US. With an 80’s punk, surf-rock vibe, Regal Degal is a hip band to look out for.

Grizzly Bear opened their set with “Sleeping in Rounds”, “Adelma,” and “Sleeping Ute” from the beginning of "Shields." The soothing rock filled the grass lawns of the Hollywood Forever. The audience laid across blankets and picnicked as Grizzly Bear played their set.

Everyone might have been a little too relaxed as Edward Droste (vocals/keyboard) asked the crowd to stop drinking and to get up and dance. Continuing through their set, Grizzly Bear mixed the older experimental songs like “Cheerleader” and “Lullabye” in with their new pysch-folk songs like the recent single “Yet Again.”

The show provided an interesting balance to please both the new and old fans. It seemed as though half the audience would cheer for a "Shields" song and the rest would scream for the "Yellow House" and "Horn of Plenty" songs.

As the set began to wind down, suddenly the famous piano chords of “Two Weeks” started. The entire lawn cheered in an instant. A second wind of energy filled the crowd. Everyone bobbed and swayed their heads in approval.

After “Half Gate” and “Sun in Your Eyes”, the band thanked the audience for their love and support and bowed off stage. 

Then the lights turned on and the chords of “Knife” began. Previously an audience member had shouted out “Knife!” and Daniel Rossen (vocals/guitar) yelled back “It's coming later!”, and he was right.

After the smooth “Knife,” Grizzly Bear finished with an acoustic version of “All We Ask”. The delicate beauty in the song left the audience a bit stupefied after Grizzly Bear finished, and the walk back to the cars and public transport was quiet and calm.    

Read more of NT's show reviews here.

Reach Staff Reporter Matthew Del Muro here.