REVIEW: PHOENIX, FORUM THEATRE

The venue has been downgraded in size, but for any long-time Phoenix fans it’s actually a blessing in disguise, resulting in a more intimate show to see our favourite French indie rockers. It’s been almost four years since they last toured our shores and we’re lucky enough to get one of two headline shows in the country following their performance at Sydney City Limits festival on the weekend.

Melbourne’s Cleopold warms up the crowd with his impressive set of pipes combined with an infectious funk-infused R&B tinged production. He casually sits at his keyboard and synthesizers to showcase his relaxed, organic sound rich with raw emotion and powerful vocal range. He tells us that his new EP is coming out soon and he shares a brand new song from it that oozes slick melodies and charming falsettos.

A neon-lit heart beats at the epicenter of the drum kit as “J-Boy” kickstarts Phoenix’s set. It’s the lead song from their latest album “Ti Amo” that gives us a taste of their fresh sugary sweet disco vibes packed full of synth hooks. The music is paired with an impressive array of visuals and a light show of kaleidoscope rainbow colours to delight our senses. With a huge back-catalogue that spans almost two decades, they have a lot of ground to cover so they continue to zoom through their hits. They generate some huge vibes early on with crowd favourites including “Lasso” and “Lisztomania.” Lead vocalist Thomas Mars shows great showmanship as he swings his microphone cord around in the air and catches it to get the crowd excited.

“Thank you for knowing the lyrics and singing along!” shouts Mars as they come to the end of “If I Ever Feel Better,” which he says is the first song the band ever wrote. A spotlight shines down on him as he stands on top of the amplifier to sing. “Love Like A Sunset Part I” has plenty of atmospheric build up as they embellish with a euphoric instrumental jam before a short break. Only Mars and bassist Deck d’Arcy return for the first two songs of the encore as they play a couple of softer acoustic versions of songs including “Countdown” and “Goodbye Soleil” featuring a chorus of sentimental French lyrics.

The full band returns for “Fior Di Latte” and Mars asks us to try and recreate a time he saw Prince and everyone waved along to the chorus. A sea of arms soon fiil the air as we all sway from side to side in unison. They end with one of their biggest songs “1901” that notches up their energy to the highest possible level as he sings, “It's twenty seconds 'til the last call, going "hey hey hey hey hey hey!” Mars disappears into the crowd and clambers his way across the floor to the middle of the theatre and then crowd-surfs back to the centre of the moshpit as fans hold him up in the air while he repeatedly thanks the audience.

WRITTEN BY: MICHAEL PREBEG

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