Phoenix (Live at Sound Academy)
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Parisian band, Phoenix was at the Sound Academy last night to play for the second time in Toronto. The weather was cool by the lake, but at least we only shivered briefly to get in.
It was a young crowd. Parents dropped off their kids on the roundabout, teenage girls smoked in line and frat guys mixed their drinks in coke bottles at the parking lot. Behind us, stoned guys reflected on doubling the face value of their tickets.
The crowd buzzed as Phoenix opened their set with “Lisztomania”. People tossed their cups of alcohol onto the floor, raised cameras pointed towards the members of the band; flashing lights created blurry snapshots. I was caught up amongst floating bodies and echoes of choruses sung. At one point, a girl grabbed my hand and thought it was her boyfriend’s.
Thomas Mars, whom I always thought bashful, flirted modestly amongst the crowd. Girls purred at the messy creature, dressed in his usual folded up dress shirt.
It was obvious that most of the crowd were new fans, as the energy calmed when the band played older songs: “Run Run Run” and “Too Young”, a song a guy beside me also wanted to hear live.
“Lasso”, “Armistice” and “Consolation Prizes” roused the crowd and the well-chosen encore finale, “1901”, erupted in dance. People blissfully jumped in the air, chanting “fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it”. Phoenix did not miss the mark. The kids rushed to get their coats, couples tightly held hands through the exiting crowds, hotdog vendors met with the hungry ones and parents waited along the roundabout.
Tags: Phoenix, Phoenix concert review, Phoenix Live at Sound Academy Review