Phantogram Gives A Fantastic Show

I couldn’t tell if my stomach was uneasy because of the pungent smell of cigarettes and beer that filled the room or if it was because of how excited I was for the upcoming concert.

Ever since I saw that my friend was listening to “Don’t Move” by Phantogram on Spotify and then proceeded to listen to the track for myself, I've been hooked on the electro dream-pop band. When I saw that Phantogram would be performing at our very own Canopy Club, I cleared my schedule from the usual nap and late night dinner to make time for my new found love.The opener for the show was a band known as The Veldt, a quartet from North Carolina that fuses sounds of indie, soul, folk, trance and ambient genres. Before the concert, I had never heard of The Veldt and was apprehensive as to what they'd perform. Hours later I left Canopy Club twenty dollars poorer but wearing a shirt with The Veldt's logo on it.If you’re a fan of Spiritualized, the 90's space rock band, I’d be surprised if you don't enjoy The Veldt's content. The band capitalized on the individual talent of each member—the lead vocals from Daniel Chavis were especially ethereal. The musicianship of the band as a whole is nothing short of impressive. There was no truly defined or catchy rhythm during the set, but rather a constant intermingling of vastly different sounds. The band worked like a well-oiled machine, each member working as a cog to create something bigger, a sound, which can only be described as eclectic.Following the strange hour-long set of The Veldt, Phantogram was due for their turn with the bustling crowd. Phantogram is comprised of only two members, Josh Carter who plays the guitar and Sarah Barthel who plays the keyboard. Airy vocals, echoey synths, and swirling guitars characterize the band’s style. Inspired by the likes of David Bowie and the Cocteau Twins, their sound shouldn’t come as a surprise.As the duo walked on stage—Barthel wearing a leather jacket and mesh halter top, Carter dressed in black jeans and a t-shirt—the crowd exploded. Unphased, the duo immediately launched into their set, starting with "You’re Mine” from the band’s most recent album “Three”, immediately followed by “Same Old Blues.”There were no pauses between songs until the fourth, and even then, it couldn't have been over a minute. Phantogram's tempo matched the electric energy of the crowd or that of a student frantically trying to finish an essay one hour before it’s due.The speed of the concert was noticeable—if the worst thing that I have to say about a concert was that it was too fast, then that means it was a pretty good concert.The best part of the show was watching how Barthel and Carter would play off of each other, it felt like they were the only two in the room. Barthel's aesthetic was the epitome of “manic pixie dream girl.” Coincidentally, either due to static or a draft, her hair would occasionally stand up on end, which accentuated this look even further. On the other end of the spectrum, Carter kept it simple and smooth. He was the needed grounding for both Barthel and the crowd.Phantogram had a perfect balance, feminine and masculine, spacey and steady, heavenly and grounded. One member would take vocals while the other would jam on their respective instrument. They'd switch back and forth constantly like a game of tag.I think the reason I enjoyed the concert so much was because of their versatility. Slower songs like the ballad “Answer”, were refreshing breaks from louder jams like “Mouthful of Diamonds”. The signature aspects of the duo’s style could be heard in both. That plurality, in my opinion, is what makes a band a band.Highlights of the night included my two personal favorite songs “Don’t Move” and “Barking Dog”. "Barking Dog" was their first encore song and was aided by projections of old home videos on the back of the stage. Watching security yell at the two girls who had been annoying me all night was pretty good too.