Phantogram took the House of Blues Houston on a cosmic trip and showed of their New York roots on a cool, Saturday night.
Phantogram, the dynamic electro-alternative duo consisting of Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter, took Houston into their world during the Running Though Colors tour. Currently, the act is touring in support of their fifth studio album, Memory of a Day. This was extremely clear just by how heavily the setlist relied on the new album, the band opening with “Jealousy” off the new album as a precursor for what was to come.
“That’s why we play the songs we do,” Barthel said. “It was because, to me, they’re timeless. Even if the song was written eight years ago, it’s like I just did it.”
The band and their touring members came on stage though a cloud of smoke and the chimes of meditative bells. Barthel sported a black ‘Phantogram’ windbreaker who’s white lettering caught he light beautifully, enticing viewers to purchase one of their own at the merch table.
“Fall in Love” was the song that started to get really good reactions out of the crowd, but it was “Mouthful of Diamonds,” their first single back in 2009, where both the fans and the band really held their stride.
Formed in 2007 Phantogram, have been lifelong friends. Their set is minimal, largely depending ion strobing bars of light and each other to set the mood for each song. The set started off moody and almost too dark for comfort, turning into a golden daylight for “Feedback Invisible.”
If I had to pinpoint the best of Phantogram for a newcomer, I’d plop them in front off the center of the set. Starting with “Run Run Blood,” the energy shifts.
Following and energetic rendition of “Happy Again,” the band repopulated their original spaces. While they took a breather for th final stretch, Barthel stepped back up to the mike to entertain the crowd.
“Gove yourselves a big round of applause,” she said, easily looking into the crowd thought the slightly raised lights. “You have my praise. This is an old one. You ready?” She grinned, knowing exactly how they were about to feel toward what came next.
“Black Out Days,” predictably, was the song that had everyone pulling out their phones. It’s their biggest hit, most viral social media song and a top voted track on the band’s reddit page. That’s not the say the song was in any way overplayed. Stragglers that had been resting their feet or previously too cool to dance did so now, from the packed floor to the steep-looking upper balcony.
“This is our last song, and probably the most important song in out repertoire,” Barthel said with a smile. “So let’s fuckin’ go, shall we?” Fans cheer in agreement, and she dives into “Come Alive” with the comfort of someone who has done it a thousand times before. It is a song about how fleeting life is, and how that is exactly what makes it precious.
I am a multimedia journalist with a passion for guitar-based music – be that rock-n-roll, bachata, or anything in between. When not in a mosh pit, I can be found knitting, collecting CDs, thrifting, journaling, or attempting to incite chaos among feuding global powers. I hold a bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism and a masters degree in Mass Communication from the University of Houston, making me twice the Coog you'll ever be 😉
