popwreckoning

“We love the 9:30 Club, so we weren’t sure if this [playing Constitution Hall] was a good idea,” admitted singer Thomas Mars of Phoenix somewhat bashfully to a sold-out D.C. crowd Monday night. It was a completely understandable worry – the last time Phoenix came to town, they played (and sold out) the comparatively tiny Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel, and the 9:30 is the usual next stop for a band with a growing fanbase. Mars and his group needn’t have worried: the throng that came this night to the 3,700-seater venue were ready and willing to dance and show their appreciation for the the alt-rock / dance band from Paris.

Support for the evening was provided by the young Northern Irish indie pop / rock trio Two Door Cinema Club. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m pretty sure I’m their biggest American fan. Even though they’ve been selling out headlining gigs in the UK with ease, I was incredulous when I heard they were coming to play in North America so quickly (their excellent debut album Tourist History was just released in Britain in March). The Washington gig was only their second ever in America, having played with Phoenix at Atlanta’s Tabernacle 2 days before. Despite this, no hesitation in playing for an unfamiliar audience was evident from their lively set. They began with “Cigarettes in the Theatre,” which seems an appropriate title for a song by a band who named themselves after an actual cinema they frequented back home in Ireland. This one is actually a song about how red-headed lead singer Alex Trimble met his girlfriend.

Sometimes I wondered how the lyrics to their songs could tumble out of Trimble’s mouth so effortlessly and as frenetically as Sam Halliday (lead guitar) and Kev Baird (bass) could play their instruments. After playing a blistering rendition of the single “Something Good Can Work,” Baird told us, “this is our first time in America. America loves the Irish!” Everyone laughed. “We saw your [D.C.] sights.” Trimble added, “we saw the White House. The President lives there.” This caused more laughter before the band started into “This is the Life,” a song with a chaotic outro that upon first listen I immediately associated it with Republica‘s “Ready to Go.”

“What You Know” is one of my favorites from their album, with a sweeping chorus of “and I can tell just what you want / you don’t want to be alone / you don’t want to be alone / and I can’t say it’s what you know / but you’ve known it the whole time / yeah, you’ve known it the whole time.” Simply fabulous were Trimble’s vocals against the backdrop of Halliday’s melodic guitar leading the charge. Before saying goodbye, the band let loose with “I Can Talk”; if there was any song in their arsenal that could get people out of their seats and dancing, this was it. Tourist History was released this week in America and is available now from Glassnote Records, so if you love frenzied, guitar-driven indie pop, I highly recommend buying a copy today.

Two Door Cinema Club Set List
Cigarettes in the Theatre
Undercover Martyn
Do You Want It All
Something Good Can Work
This is the Life
What You Know
Eat That Up, It’s Good for You
Come Back Home
I Can Talk

Phoenix have been around for over a decade, but they’ve remained pretty much a mystery to me, even with songs like “Lisztomania” gaining a foothold in the American radio mainstream. For sure, their album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (released in 2009) winning the Best Alternative Album Grammy and a Cadillac commercial featuring “1901″ have both helped them gain fans. They also explain how a band who played a little club the last time they were in town could sell out an indoor behemoth like Constitution Hall. Numbers like “Fences” and “Girlfriend” showcased the band’s dance bent, while others like “Playground Love,” a tune billed by Mars during the band’s encore as “a song we wrote with [fellow French band] Air,” showed a softer, more sensitive side.

The professional light show looked like it would be more at home at a stadium show than Constitution Hall. There was enough strobe and colored lights to potentially cause epileptic seizures and temporary blindness. Given the choice, I’d rather not be blinded when I’m trying to enjoy a concert; I ended up turning away from the stage when the lighting became too bright. The crowd however appeared unfazed by the light show, content to scream for the band in between songs and jump, dance, or do a combination of the two while the band played on, reveling in the adoration from their fans.

The lighting was not the only unusual feature of the night. Not afraid to be one with the locals, Mars chose to jump up on a speaker stage right and then (aided by an extra long red microphone cord) headed into the upper tier, to the surprise and utter delight of the crowd. After “1901″ was played and the hall was still dark, I thought the show was over. Instead, Mars reappeared in the middle of the floor, singing along to an extended ending of the song before pulling girls up with him as he made his way back up onstage, nearly inciting a riot as gig-goers followed him, madly rushing and clambering onto the stage to join him and the rest of the band. Judging by my fellow blogger Abby’s experience seeing Phoenix at Seattle’s Showbox SoDo in January, maybe this is just par for the course for Phoenix these days.

Phoenix: website | myspace | @ Record Bar | @ Monolith 2009 | @ Rumsey Playfield | Remix Monday: Phoenix – “Love Like a Sunset” | Remix Monday: Phoenix – “Fences” | 107.7 The End’s Deck the Hall Ball 2009 | @ Showbox SoDo
Two Door Cinema Club: website | myspace | Two Door Cinema Club To Tour with Phoenix in Spring, Headline First North American Tour | “Something Good Can Work” video

The last time Phoenix played Kansas City, it was at a 200-capacity venue for a free MySpace secret show. Though I know people drove for miles to see that and waited in line all day, I think Phoenix was a bit shocked at their popularity. Now, nearly a year later, Phoenix returns to Kansas City, but this time at a significantly larger venue with a 2,500-some capacity. Again, I knew people were driving for miles to see this and show had quickly sold out. Yet, again, I think Phoenix was surprised at their popularity, half-expecting that at any moment, they might wake up and be downgraded back to a 200-capacity venue with no one in attendance.

It’s weird to think that this band, which has been releasing albums since 2000 and a band that has roots in Daft Punk and Air, just in the past year became popular in the United States. They seemed to skip that in-between growing popularity phase here: one night no one knew who they were in this country, but then they wake up in the morning and they’re a household name, selling out massive venues.

The band’s performance on SNL had a lot to do with the launch of their success, which I’m kind of thrilled about because now I get to see them multiple times in a year instead of sitting at home wishing they’d come play KC, while I import their albums from France. I also like to think that the band’s crazy rise to stardom in the states challenges them in their stage show to show that this wasn’t a fluke and they deserve this success. And after seeing them three times in the past year, I can attest: they are that great live.

Opening for the show was supposed to be the Irish rock group Two Door Cinema Club, but they had to cancel due to the volcanic activity in Europe disrupting air travel. Locals the Roman Numerals filled in at last minute. I was really looking forward to Two Door Cinema Club, having blasted “I Can Talk” and “Something Good Can Work” fairly solidly on my car play list fairly solidly for the last few weeks, so I was pretty dismayed that they canceled and a local band that I felt was a little over-saturated in the market was filling in. However, I think the offer of opening for such a huge name really pushed the Numerals to outperform their standard. They put on their most dynamic set and energetic set that I’ve ever seen them do. Now knowing that they can play that explosively, I hope they can meet the bar set as this show and continue to outperform themselves.

Some of the guys in Phoenix had mentioned to me that their light show had also been affected by the European volcano due to their light guy getting stranded. They said they had to make some amendments to their usual show. Despite knowing this change up, the light show blew me away. Sure, there were lots of strobe effects, but they also knew how to use dark space. Band members were cast and shadow or spotlighted when appropriate for a big solo–which was refreshing to see that all members were given equal respect and not just the lead singer given the spotlight. One of my favorite moments of the light show was during an instrumental interlude where the stage went dark and the amps were slowly outlined in neon lights in this big growing effect that mimicked the growing dynamic of the music. Beautiful.

Now, that being said about the astounding lights, they really were just a bonus. The band’s aural performance was enough to impress, but to get killer lights and music? Lucky. The set mixed songs spanning the length of the Phoenix catalog and I was pleased to see that so many knew more than just “1901″ and “Listzomania.” The band has some slow numbers, but for the most part, they’re upbeat alternative rock songs. While they’re not what one would generally consider dance music, they’re surprisingly easy to dance to, but KC did need some encouragement in this department. “This track is supposed to be a dance track, so if you guys don’t mind,” said singer Thomas Mars before “Girlfriend.” His recommendation was quickly taken to heart by the audience and the house lights were even brought up so the band could watch the audience dance.

Mars was a giant ball of energy, singing his heart and engaging the crowd by reaching his hands out to them and at times, even entering the throngs. “Where would you go” he sang on “Lasso” and seemed to answer himself by showing that where he’d go is into the crowd. Usually just the front rows benefited from this, but during the encore, he disappeared during “1901″ only to appear deep in the crowd and then surfing his way back to the front.

The encore was a blast, not just because of the extended “1901″ with Mars deep in the crowd, but because we were treated to two special stripped down versions of “Playground Love” and “Everything Is Everything.” It was nice to see that even though you can see this band frequently and get some of the same songs, you’re not necessarily getting the same show.

Phoenix Set List:
Lisztomania
Long Distance Call
Lasso
Consolation Prizes
Fences
Girlfriend
Armistice
Love Like A Sunset
Run Run Run
Rally
Countdown
Rome
//
Playground Love (Stripped)
Everything is Everything (Stripped)
1901

You should already know that those of us at  PopWreckoning love a good cover song. Now, usually we spotlight other indie acts covering fellow today we want to give special attention to a group delivering great cover after great cover: The PS22 Chorus.

If you’re unfamiliar with the PS22 Chorus, it is an elementary school chorus from Public School 22 in Graniteville, Staten Island (New York). Director Gregg Breinberg formed the group of 60-70 fifth graders and blogs about their experiences and covers here. Since their formation, they’ve received attention from artists such as Matisyahu and Tori Amos, as well as television attention. They’ve even performed for President Obama. Perhaps you remember hearing their vocals on Passion Pit‘s debut album Manners?

Though the group has already exploded on the interwebs and you might already be aware of them, we wanted to share of few of their covers of some of PopWreckoning’s favorite artists.

Enjoy!

The group’s latest cover of Marina and the Diamonds‘ “I Am Not a Robot.”

Beach House‘s “Zebra”

Phoenix‘s “Lisztomania”

Lady GaGa‘s “Just Dance”

“My DriveThru” originally with N.E.R.D., Santogold, Julian Casablancas and Pharrell

Tuesday night at the 9:30 Club should have been captioned “the Night of Squeals.” Barring the predictable female reaction for Paolo Nutini I witnessed last summer (lots of screaming and near fainting), I have never heard so many superlatives and proclamations of “oh my god” coming from fanboys and fangirls alike. This felt like a surprising response, for this was for a show featuring three acts from three very different backgrounds: Melbourne-based rock band the Temper Trap co-headlined with London pop/soul singer Florence Welch (fronting the collective Florence and the Machine), with support provided by Danish indie rock group the Kissaway Trail. Looking back, it now seems quite appropriate that on the day, D.C. was experiencing completely unusual sweltering temperatures for the beginning of April, because the action on stage was equally as torrid.

The Kissaway Trail is a five-piece rock band from Odense, Denmark, signed to Simon Raymonde‘s Bella Union label in Europe. I first heard of them via their second album Sleep Mountain, to be released in America on April 20. Their songs run the gamut of dream pop (every member providing harmonizing vocals, like in the awe-inspiring “SDP” that closed out their set) to all-out rock jams with wailing guitars. Lead singer Thomas L. Fagerlund, looking most definitely not Danish wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap, alternated between keyboards and guitar while providing powerful vocals. “New Lipstick,” another track from Sleep Mountain, was a set highlight for me. Unexpectedly, what I found funny about their performance was their sixth “member.” I’m not sure if he was a friend, roadie, or tour manager, but he was throwing his body into every shake of his tambourine and maracas, to the point that I thought his suspenders might break off.

Florence Welch, frontwoman for Florence and the Machine, arrived on stage, cocktail in hand, wearing an all black outfit that was topped off with a black hat that did a good job of obscuring her trademark fiery red hair. Almost. During her soulful, less than 1-hour set, she sang to a Washington crowd that appeared to know every single word of every single song from her 2009 Mercury Prize-nominated debut album, Lungs, that she played. Fans behind me swayed as if put in a trance by their pop heroine. This was possible, as during some songs like “Blinding” (where she wrapped herself in a shawl and you could barely see her face) and “Between Two Lungs,” Welch looked possessed by the music. When she tested the audience to jump higher and more vigorously to crowd favorite “Dog Days are Over” than fans the previous night in Philadelphia, everyone enthusiastically took up the challenge, pogo-ing along with the London singer with her bare, very long legs.

“Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)” is probably the best Florence and the Machine song in terms of eliciting audience participation, and as a set closer, it was amazing watching everyone’s arms in the air as the song lyrics instruct. The crowd loved it and the whole set, and who could blame them? I would like to note that anyone receiving that level of adulation would have been excused for feeling cocky, soaking up the adoration of the masses. But not Welch, who would smile almost bashfully at the crowd, thanking them in a soft-spoken voice when fans sang along to her songs, cheered for her, and shouted “I love you Florence!” I’m not a huge fan of Welch’s singing style, but I have to admit, she has incredible charisma on stage, and there’s no wonder why this ginger siren sells out large venues in the UK so quickly and easily every time she announces a tour at home.

Florence and the Machine Set List
Howl
Kiss with a Fist
Hurricane Drunk
My Boy Builds Coffins
Between Two Lungs
Drumming Song
Cosmic Love
Blinding
I’m Not Calling You a Liar
Dog Days are Over
You’ve Got the Love (the Source / Candi Staton cover)
Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)

For a brief moment between the headlining sets, it was possible to stretch and get a breath of fresh air at the barrier, because many Florence fans left the club as soon as her set was over. But their prime spots were quickly snapped up by equally fanatical Temper Trap devotees. I was really interested to see this act because I was not blown away by their debut album Conditions, so I hoped they would sound better live. And boy, I was right. The album is like an attempt to bottle dynamite. The Temper Trap‘s brand of thrilling guitar rock with lead singer’s Dougie Mandagi‘s unusual (for a man in rock) falsetto is just damn exciting in concert. I was expecting their hits “Sweet Disposition” and “Fader” to be amazing (and they were). But equally great or possibly even better were “Soldier On,” with lead guitarist Lorenzo Sillitto trading his guitar temporarily to play keyboards and bassist Jonathan Ahearne‘s sultry bass line, and “Love Lost,” with a lighting backdrop reminiscent of Phoenix‘s “1901.”

The show-stopping moment of the night was when Mandagi drank from a bottle of water, then poured the remaining contents of the bottle on the top of a big drum for the appropriately-titled instrumental “Drum Song.” He then threw the bottle into the crowd and started pounding the drum furiously with two sticks. This provided an unexpected, appreciated, but all too brief cool off for the sweaty crowd. The last song of the night was “Science of Fear,” my favorite from Conditions, had Mandagi’s commanding voice and jangly guitars that got bodies moving. Just perfect. Keep an eye on this band, they could be the next big thing.

Personally, I think the Temper Trap killed it but the large contingent of Flo fans would have no doubt disagreed with me. If you’re interested in seeing any or all of these acts (and you should be!), please visit their MySpace pages for individual band tour info (see links below).

The Temper Trap Set List
instrumental intro
Rest
Fader
Fools
Down River
Love Lost
Soldier On
Sweet Disposition
Resurrection
Drum Song
//
Rabbit Hole (new song)
Science of Fear

The Temper Trap: website | myspace
Florence and the Machine: website | myspace | Mercury Prize Nominations Announced
The Kissaway Trail: website | myspace

The organizers  behind music festival Lollapalooza continue revealing clues to the 2010 line-up.

So far, fill-in-the-blank line-up has clued in the following letters: O, R, I.

The headliners are for the most part agreed upon: Soundgarden, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire, The Strokes and Phoenix.

However, forums still have a few blanks leaving them stumped.

Here are the guesses from the folks over at the official Lollapalooza forums. The bands in bold, while not confirmed, are the most likely guess:

1. soundgarden * green day * lady gaga * arcade fire * the strokes * phoenix
2. social distortion * mgmt or ween or cake or sade or… ? * jimmy cliff * hot chip * the black keys
3. the national * spoon * devo * cypress hill * cut copy * the new pornographers
4. slightly stoopid * grizzly bear * gogol bordello * chromeo * wolfmother
5. yeasayer * x japan * mutemath? * metric * dirty projectors * afi
6. mavis staples * matt & kim * the xx * drive-by truckers * blues traveler
7. edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros * the temper trap * jamie lidell
8. frightened rabbit * fuck buttons * deer tick * blitzen trapper * stars
9. raphael saadiq * the cribs * minus the bear * switchfoot * the walkmen?
10. mumford & sons * wild beasts * rogue wave * los amigos invisibles
11. the big pink * the dodos * hockey * cymbals eat guitars * sloan or B.o.b or aloha? * YACHT or dawes… ?
12. warpaint * the antlers * the soft pack * rebelution * balkan beat box? * K’Naan or…? (6spaces)
13. american bang * the ike reilly assassination * company of thieves * YACHT or dawes or wheat…?
14. harlem * the constellations * miniature tigers * mimicking birds
15. the kissaway trail * K’Naan or…? (6spaces) * delphic * the morning benders * foxy shazam
16. violent soho * royal bangs * neon trees * freelance whales
17. semi precious weapons * the heavy or hey champ? * the band of heathens * dragonette
18. my dear disco * buddy miller or…? * the heavy or hey champ? * jukebox the ghost
19. these united states * mynameisjohnmichael *  “and many more!” or…?

perry’s
1. 2manydjs * empire of the sun * digitalism * perry farrell * tiga
2. felix da housecat * rusko * erol alkan * kaskade or malente… ? * flosstradamus
3. wolfgang gartner * joachim garraud * mexican institute of sound
4. caspa or MANDY or benga? * peanut butter wolf * dirty south * darko or nervo?  * cut copy (dj set)
5. beats antique * steve porter * didi gutman of brazilian girls
6. _ _ _ / _ I _ * team bayside high * dani deahl * dj mel?
7. _ _ _ *  _ O _ _ _ _ _ _ _ * only children * _ _ _ _ _ / _ _ R _ _ _ R O _ _

If you’re not already in love with French indie rockers Phoenix, then perhaps this impeccable live show up for free download will be what you need to put you just over the top.

Just head over to www.wearephoenix.com and download their live Sydney show and you’ll be able to dance out to “1901″ and “Run Run Run” all you want.

Enjoy.

I have a love/hate relationship with BBC Radio1 evening show host Zane Lowe. He often gets on my nerves because he likes to shout. A lot. I chalk this up to the fact that he has the privilege of talking to rock stars on a regular basis, and should I ever get a cushy job like that, I would probably be overexcited and shouty as well. However, I digress. It’s thanks to Lowe’s regular choosing of the “Hottest Record in the World” (at 7:30 PM GMT most evenings Monday through Thursday) that I get to hear some of the most hotly-tipped songs before their official release. And here is a prime example of his good taste – PopWreckoning favorites Friendly Fires covering Holy Ghost!‘s now classic “Hold On,” which was chosen as a “Hottest Record” for February 4.

I’ve done research in the blogosphere and heard quite a bit about the backstory of this single from interviews the BBC did last month with Friendly Fires‘s Ed Macfarlane (vocals / bass / synths). What I’ve gathered is that the two acts ran into each other last summer at the dance music festival Calvi on the Rocks in Corsica. It’s unclear which parties were inebriated but Holy Ghost!‘s Alex Frankel made the suggestion of recording covers of each other’s songs. Macfarlane, a self-admitted fanatic of Holy Ghost!‘s work, concurred. Further, Macfarlane told a BBC 6music news reporter that he spent so much time and effort remixing Phoenix‘s “Fences” that given the choice, his preference with respect to Holy Ghost! was to do “a proper reinterpretation” of one of their songs rather than simply a remix.

You may wonder, “if they talked about doing this last summer, why is it taking so long for it to be released?” Further in the folklore is that Friendly Fires, so enthused about the project, got their cover finished quickly. However, Holy Ghost!‘s recording of their track was riddled by bad luck. Word on the street is that their already recorded session tapes and vocal tracks vanished, and they suffered a hard drive meltdown. It should also be noted that there was further delay caused by the untimely death of !!!/LCD Soundsystem drummer Jerry Fuchs. (Incidentally, the “On Board” track is one of the last recordings Fuchs played on.)

If you’ve listened to Friendly Fires‘s “Paris” as many times as I have, the intro to their cover of Holy Ghost!’s “Hold on” should sound welcome as an old friend. The pronounced bass line, as well as winning cowbell and agogô – hallmarks of tracks by this XL Recordings act – make this cover memorably different than the original. The disco dancefloor vibe and the short-sounding lyrics have gone, replaced by in-your-face percussion (thanks to surely one of music’s hardest-working drummers, Jack Savidge) and sexy as hell lead vocals. Edd Gibson‘s guitar riffs three-quarters of the way in are also a totally appreciated addition.

DFA Records duo Holy Ghost! decided they wanted to put their own stamp on the Friendly Fires‘s boisterous singalong “On Board.” (You may recall hearing the original on commercials for the Wii Fit and Gran Turismo 5.) Their take features, as should be expected from them, a disco sensibility; however, it also comes complete with angelic female voices credited as “the DFA Celestial Choir,” lending a vocal richness not present in the original. The lead vocal is more intelligible as well. (Sorry Ed Mac, but if someone hadn’t told me the lyrics included “without your own defiling / you’d backwards circle right above our heads“, I never would have guessed). I also really dig the tacking-on of the catchy, repeated “Don’t stop! Don’t stop!” squarely in the middle of the track.

Because of the mutual admiration Friendly Fires and Holy Ghost! have for each other, I think it’s safe to say that should these two dance music acts ever decide to go on tour together, that would make for one hell of a bill.

The “Hold On” / “On Board” double-A-sided single will be released on 12″ vinyl and digitally on March 8 by XL Recordings. Check out the original versions of both below (Holy Ghost! don’t have a promo video for “Hold On” so only audio is available for that one.)

Friendly Fires - “On Board”

Holy Ghost! - “Hold On”

Track Listing
1. Friendly Fires – Hold On
2. Friendly Fires – Hold On (instrumental)
3. Holy Ghost! – On Board
4. Holy Ghost! – On Board (instrumental)
5. Holy Ghost! – On Board (dub – on download version only)

Friendly Fires: website | myspace | Friendly Fires review | Remix Monday: “Skeleton Boy” | @ Black Cat | @ Dot to Dot Festival | interview with pt. 1, pt. 2, pt. 3 | Mercury Prize Nominations Announced | New Video on MTV, To Play Jimmy Kimmel and Winter Nylon Tour, Release Expanded Version of Debut Album | @ Lollapalooza 2009 | @ le poisson rouge | @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | on Jimmy Kimmel | Remix Monday: “Paris” | Remix Monday: Phoenix’s “Fences” | NYLON Winter Music Tour Starring Friendly Fires with the xx @ Paradise Rock Club, Boston
Holy Ghost!: website | myspace | Remix Monday: Cut Copy “Hearts on Fire” | Remix Monday: Phoenix “Lisztomania”

Currently my favorite Northern Irish band, electropop / indie rock trio Two Door Cinema Club have announced they will be playing in North America for the first time this spring. Following European dates in late March supporting French indie rockers Phoenix, the trio will be joining Phoenix on nine dates of the French band’s North American tour starting in late April. Following this support slot, Two Door Cinema Club will embark on their first headlining tour of North America, starting on May 2 at West Hollywood’s Troubadour through to May 17 at Toronto’s Wrongbar.

Tourist History, the band’s debut album, is set to be released on March 1 in the UK by French label Kitsuné Maison (the same folks that signed English electropop acts Delphic and La Roux). “Undercover Martyn,” the band’s third single to be released ahead of Tourist History, will be released in the UK on February 22. But I fell in love with them upon hearing “I Can Talk,” a frenetically-paced pop tour de force. You can watch the equally frenetic promo video below.

Tour Dates
Apr 20 – Schubas / Chicago
Apr 21 – Uptown / Kansas City, MO*
Apr 22 – Louisville Palace / Louisville, KY*
Apr 23 – Vanderbilt / Nashville*
Apr 24 – Tabernacle / Atlanta*
Apr 26 – Constitution Hall / Washington, DC*
Apr 27 – Norva / Norfolk, VA*
Apr 29 – Stubb’s / Austin*
Apr 30 – Verizon Wireless Theatre / Houston*
May 01 – Edgefest / Dallas*
May 05 – Troubadour / West Hollywood
May 06 – Popscene / San Francisco (tickets only available night of show)
May 07 – Doug Fir / Portland
May 08 – Nectar Lounge / Seattle
May 12 – Bowery Ballroom / New York City
May 13 – Johnny Brenda’s / Philadelphia
May 15 – Great Scott / Boston
May 16 – Salla Rossa / Montreal
May 17 – Wrongbar / Toronto
* supporting Phoenix

Two Door Cinema Club: website | myspace
Phoenix: website | myspace

After seeing a half-hour Phoenix set last month, it left me wanting so much more. Thankfully, that “more” came just five weeks later – this last Saturday the 23rd at the Showbox SoDo, literally right down the street from where I saw them last month.

The Soft Pack served as the opening course for the night, and with how ridiculously packed this venue was, they held their own pretty well. I was virtually unfamiliar with the Soft Pack, but now I can say that I was pleased I saw them. With the quick and punky “C’Mon” and “Pull Out,” they got the crowd dancing like it was the year 2000. Seriously, they felt like a nice throwback to the garage rock of the beginning of the decade – like early Strokes with less swagger and more gusto. They played through their strong set list that included other standouts, “Extinction,” “Brightside” and “Parasites,” all scribbled down on a ripped napkin that lay on the floor. The understated frontman-ness of Matt Lamkin met with the raw energy of lead guitarist Matty McLoughlin made for a great synergy on stage. They felt very current, yet seasoned. I totally dug it. Be sure to keep your ears peeled for these guys in 2010.

After their 40-minute set, the Soft Pack exited the stage to make way for Phoenix’s gear, front and center. Thankfully I found myself in front of the guy with an obscene amount of frizzy hair, who was originally standing in front of me. But he did provide one especially random moment of the night – as Phoenix was just about to step on stage he shouted, “Come on guys, allons-y!” “Allons-y,” meaning “let’s go” in French isn’t just a culturally relevant phrase to shout to a band that hails from France, but for me it was a hilarious reference to the BBC sci-fi show “Doctor Who.” But that could be just me.

Opening with “Lisztomania,” the French foursome started out their just-under-90-minute set just as strong as I remembered from last month. But on this night, we had three times as many songs from them, which made the show exponentially better. Paired with trippy strobe lights half the night, I can say that this was the craziest dance party I’ve been to… possibly ever. The one negative I could bring up was how full the Showbox SoDo decided to book for this show. Even when I tried to duck out of the crowd directly in front of the stage during the encore, I could barely find a clear spot against the wall. Definitely a claustrophobic’s nightmare.

But Phoenix surely did not disappoint – playing almost all the songs off last year’s “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix,” as well as some old tunes. Including – “Consolation Prizes,” “Rally,” “Long Distance Call” and “Napoleon Says” off It’s Never Been Like That, an extra slow and groovy version of “Everything is Everything” from Alphabetical, and even the epically heavy “Funky Squaredance” and the light and dancey “If I Ever Feel Better” and “Too Young” off their 2000 debut United. Those were especially nice surprises after someone shouted from the audience, “Lost in Translation soundtrack, yeah!” Some people say the darndest things.

Even Thomas Mars does. At one point, I can’t remember when, he declared that he wanted to thank the people of Federal Way – a small suburb of Seattle, about 20 minutes out of town. I never figured out why, but it could have been the first town they saw when they got off the plane. Who knows?

Throughout the night, Phoenix moved through the best of their catalogue, transitioning dynamically from an energetic dance number like “Lasso” to an extended haunting electronic track like “Love Like A Sunset.” It all led up to the extremely lengthy encore, which is was all right by me. Mars took a nice little trip out into the audience, crowd-surfing as far as the microphone cord would let him, while Deck D’Arcy, Laurent Brancowitz and Christian Mazzalai stayed up on stage and jammed for a good solid five minutes with the same trippy strobes lighting up the room. After introducing their “farewell song,” they played three more – which included the huge hit, “1901,” and a giant dance party where everyone within leaping distance jumped up on stage to close the set. At that point, I wasn’t in leaping distance, but I did get a picture of those who were.

Even with how unpleasant SoDo was, I left very pleased with my second Phoenix show, and in fact, my first show of the new decade. Thank you, Phoenix, for starting out this decade wonderfully. Seattle will be glad to have you back many more times.

Set List:
Lisztomania
Long Distance Call
Lasso
Rally
Fences
Girlfriend
Armistice
Love Like A Sunset
Napoleon Says
Too Young
Consolation Prizes
Rome
Funky Squaredance
ENCORE:
Everything is Everything
If I Ever Feel Better
1901

The past 30 days have been a doozy in the greater Chicago area for fans of music as The Pixies had a three night Dolittle showcase at the Aragon Ballroom, Arctic Monkeys brought the haunting fuzz rock of Humbug to the Riviera Theatre and The Flaming Lips headlined one hell of  a Christmas show with the likes of Phoenix and Pete Yorn at the All State Arena. Photos below.