Phantogram Lights Up the Fillmore

Outside it was uncomfortably cold, but on the inside of the Fillmore Minneapolis, Phantogram used their robust catalog to heat things up.

Over the last ten years and about the same number of shows, I’ve never been disappointed. I’m happy to report that the streak is still very much alive.

Take two parts rock and roll, one part emo, add in hip-hop sensibilities, and you’d have maybe one or two Phantogram songs. They’re difficult to categorize because they never stay in one place for long. That’s an alright approach for recording music, but when it comes to performing it live, it can be difficult to bridge the pieces together to make something cohesive.

Not so with Phantogram. Sarah Barthel, Josh Carter, and crew weave their catalog together deftly, wielding a variety of live gear, sometimes set up like a traditional four-piece band, while others see them set up more like an electronic outfit.

Few vocalists employ their entire bodies to deliver their lyrics in the way that Sarah does. From throwing her torso into powerful lines to delicately tracing small, quiet thought to dancing in celebration, sometimes in the course of a single song. She’s a force on stage.

The crowd was, unsurprisingly, largely 89.3 The Current-based, which is to say pasty white and hipster-heavy. Which makes sense, considering the Current has championed the group dating back to their 2010 debut, Eyelid Movies. Also present were quite a few kids. Not kids in the way that I’m 40 and talking about people in their 20’s, but actual 9-12 (?) year old kids. It’s encouraging to know that kids are growing up on this kind of music.

This was my first time in the Fillmore Minneapolis, one of nine venues across the country, and it was alright. The staff was great, but the sound was heavy in the high end and I felt bad for anybody who opts not to wear earplugs at shows like this. To be fair, I didn’t do much of a survey of the sound around the venue after putting my earplugs in, but towards the back by the sound booth, the highs felt very overwhelming.

I’m a big fan of balconies at shows, and I was let down when I got upstairs and found that 90% of the balconies were allocated for VIP or package ticket-holders, tucked behind velvet ropes. It isn’t surprising, but it’s still disappointing.

I know I already said this, but I have yet to regret making the effort to see Phantogram live. Always a good time. It may not be the cathartic cry-fest that was their 2017 appearance at the Minnesota State Fair, but it was still very much worth braving the cold and the crowds.