Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre
Monday February 14 2011
For a Monday Valentines night, it’s always a tough ask to fill a room and at the same time have the crowd whipped into a frenzy from the start. Phoenix delivered on both accounts. Here in Adelaide for a special sideshow, the band from the get-go had the crowd in raptures.
Setting the tone with “Listomania” and “Lasso”, Phoenix started the show with the distinctive sound synonymous with the semi-veterans of French pop-rock. This worked to great effect, getting the crowd into a frenzy with energetic drumming matched with astonishingly coordinated and precise guitarmanship.
Phoenix added a musical surprise by performing a convincing cover of Air’s Playground Love and delivered a number of quintessential rock songs. Some of these may have been lost among some of the crowd who had come on the basis of their latest recording, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (2009) but they soon maintained the electronic pace with other crowd favourites. Lighting was used to excellent effect, with beams of choreographed light bouncing and punching the Theatre walls in perfect timing. A mid set pulsating interlude similar to a “Tron” Daft Punk Soundtrack was accommodated by a near epileptic Fit inducing strobe light display.
Vocalist Thomas Mars gratuitously thanked the crowd for their presence and reminisced about their previous visit to Adelaide when they supported the Pixies. There was also appreciation given to the audience for singing along to the lyrics of which the crowd enthusiastically did throughout the whole night.
The band proceeded to execute a whimsical rendition of “Countdown” where the devoted audience knew the songs well enough to sing along. Going beyond the simple loveliness of their pop songs the edge was sharpened which saw Mars crowd surf through energetic renditions of “Love like a sunset”
One thing evident tonight is this band has made a lasting impact on those who have come across their music; devoted followers and new fans would have walked away from the show a satisfied concert goer.
Smack bang in the middle of music Festival season, this show was a triumph. There was a solid and devoting following at this gig with enough energy and enthusiasm in the theatre to warrant this show a success.
