Elegant Spectacle: A Night with Phoenix

Phoenix performing at the YouTube Theater, LA by Jacob Alvarez

AMAZING LIGHTING DESIGN FOR ONE OF THE BEST LIVE ACTS TODAY

Inglewood’s YouTube Theater brought one of the best live acts of the generation to its 6,000 capacity grounds. French Pop icons Phoenix played a sold out night full of indie hits that’ve become engrained in the genre since the days of Pandora Radio. I clearly recall both It’s Never Been Like That and Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix sitting in the center console of my mom’s 2010 Honda Civic; in a way, this was dedicated to her.

Porches performing at the YouTube Theater, LA by Jacob Alvarez

Members of the audience were sparsely sitting when New York indie act Porches stepped on stage to warm up the crowd. Having known a decent amount of singer Aaron Maine’s work due to a co-sign from Dev Hynes, Porches played to the few who were listening, offering very little lighting and taking steps back to jam with his bandmates. A touching moment occurred during the encore portion of Phoenix’s set when frontman Thomas Mars told the crowd how enthused they were to have Porches opening and encouraged fans to purchase all of their work because “it’s all good.”

The photo pit was extra crowded for the night, with reps suggesting to take shots from behind the general admission area to alleviate any congestion should they feel uncomfortable. A large curtain hid the stage while the lights dimmed, and as everyone cheered in excitement, the opening riff to “Lisztomania” played. The cheers transcended to screams with the curtain being pulled back, revealing Phoenix absolutely jamming to the track with Mars in the back atop a smaller stage that featured their drummer and synth player. About four LED screens showcased regal cathedrals with a plethora of colored strobe lights synching together. The band did not let up from there, delivering fan favorites “Entertainment,” “Lasso,” “Too Young,” and “J-Boy” in sequence.

Phoenix performing at the YouTube Theater, LA by Jacob Alvarez

An even mixture of classics and new singles made up the 21 song set, and “Alpha Zulu” fit perfectly in the show with the album due out in a few weeks. “Armistice” plagued my brain long after the show ended and hearing “Trying to Be Cool” with the backdrop of rainbow lights flashing is almost indescribable. One thing to appreciate about a Phoenix concert is they always have amazing lighting designs to match their bubbly yet intricate tracks.

Mars gave many thanks in between tracks, going as far to say “There’s a million shows happening tonight in LA and you came to this one.” He wasn't being dramatic; the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were rocking out at the Hollywood Bowl, Metric sold out the Wiltern, Henry Rollins was on his Q+A tour, and even pop megastar Christina Aguilera performing an intimate set at the Palladium. I’m happy with my decision. If that wasn’t enough, after concluding their encore with “1901",” the band reprised “Identical” while Mars literally walked through the pit area and stopped in the first few sections of the theater, shouting thanks and giving fans hugs. I was surprised the mic was able to travel that long with its signature red chord. I didn’t believe I could appreciate this band more than I already did, but the show sold me just that much more. The gratitude I wish I could express to my passing mother for introducing me to Phoenix is insurmountable. Check out the set list here!

PS: Check out our gallery of photos from the performance!

PS: Check out our gallery of photos from the performance!