Under the intricate, gilded arches of the Moore Theatre, laser-like pinpricks of white light pierced the pitch-black stage. Mere moments later, they vanished completely. In their absence, a hint of an oscillating mid-range hum emanated from the speakers, expanding outward toward the sold-out crowd. The muted tone lingered for a minute longer until it stopped suddenly, depriving the audience of sight and sound.
A moment later, a sudden surge of green-tinged strobes streamed forth. It broke the stasis, revealing the silhouettes of Phantogram—Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter, along with touring members Chris Carhart and Jonathon Mooney —standing atop a mirrored, backlit riser. The imagery, accompanied by the sinuous opening of “Jealousy”—the lead single from the duo’s 2024 album Memory of A Day—created a psychoacoustical, synesthesia-stylized start to Phantogram’s Seattle stop on their Running Through Colors tour.
The all-out sensual assault continued as a multitude of colors saturated the stage. As they performed “Don’t Move” from their 2011 EP Nightlife, the varied tints and hues danced, synchronized to Sarah’s lilting voice and Josh’s trippy, Tron-esque synths and eccentric guitar riffs. The duo immediately moved into a series of tracks that tapped into their vast 15-plus-year catalog of ever-experimental sounds—where superb bass-driven beats seamlessly blend with surreal melodies and seditious harmonies. The band’s breakout single “Fall in Love” from 2014’s Voices, showcased the brilliant experimental sonics of their past, while “Feedback Invisible” from Memory of A Day featured a few new sounds where synthesized snippets thrashed against electro-industrial, punked-out beats. Together the songs highlighted the pair’s multi-instrumental virtuosity—Sarah and Josh singing, slinging guitars, and triggering effects, all while artfully gliding across the stage.
Phantogram’s ability to craft lush, mesmerizing music that spans the full sonic spectrum (a hallmark in their production process) was even more pronounced in the live mix. This was especially evident in the beautifully composed “Answer” from 2016’s Three and the mellifluous “Attaway” from Memory of A Day. Both tracks demonstrated the duo’s skill in placing Sarah’s searing and Josh’s soothing vocals above rich, textured sounds.
The band’s forte for blending harsher sonics was also revealed as Phantogram sank their teeth into the fiercely volatile “Run Run Blood” from Three and the dark, Twin Peaks-tinged “Black Out Days” from 2013’s Voices. The duo’s skills in combining hard and soft sounds culminated in the closing song “Come Alive” (Memory of A Day), where angular synths soared over fuzzed-out baselines and hardcore rhythms. The track's reverberations hit fans hard, and in its wake, Phantogram exited backstage. In their absence, the venue returned to a pitch-black state.
Upon realizing the duo’s disappearance, the crowd shouted a round of “Phantogram!” cheers along with more than “10,000 Claps.” This ignited several ruby-red lights and called forth Phantogram for a well-deserved encore. A swell of violin strings filled the air, ushering in the gorgeous, melodic “Glowing” (Memory of A Day). Phantogram ultimately concluded the show with Sarah’s tour-de-force energy and Josh’s silent, rebel-like vibes in full force for the fan favorite “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” (Three) and the ethereal, binaural beat-driven hit “When I’m Small,” from 2010’s Eyelid Movies. The final selection made for a stunning ending, leaving Phantogram’s ride-or-die fans with a sequence of phosphene-like scenes that synched to several new musical memories. After the performance, a few lucky fans made it to the duo’s post-show DJ set down the road, where they were fortunate enough to experience more sonic tales.
Setlist:
“Jealousy”
“Don’t Move”
“Fall In Love”
“Feedback Invisible”
“Pedestal”
“It Wasn't Meant to Be”
“Mouthful of Diamonds”
“Run Run Blood”
“Attaway”
“You are the Ocean”
“Answer”
“All A Mystery”
“Happy Again”
“Black Out Days”
“Come Alive”
Encore:
“Glowing”
“You Don’t Get Me High Anymore”
“When I’m Small”
Photos by: Megan Perry
