French Four-Piece Phoenix Deliver an Epic Show at the Fillmore

by Lauren Rosier

Friday night was filled an abundance of killer live music throughout the city of Brotherly Love. For fans of the French alt-rock four-piece, Phoenix, the Fillmore in Fishtown was the place to be. On the bill was Phoenix and The Lemon Twigs (from Long Island, NY).

If you’ve never been to the Fillmore, it’s a beautiful, large space for live music. When you enter, there’s a space for merch tables and for concert-goers to congregate. Immediately upon entering, there is a full scale bar and then more bars on both sides of the large music space. Balconies hug the main floor which often feature VIP access including table service. Upon arriving around 8:30 PM, the venue’s main space and balcony were both crammed with music fans of all ages (this was an all ages show) who wanted to show support for the artists and live music.

The anticipation throughout the venue was contagious. As soon as the house music fell silent, the crowd roared with excitement. Phoenix took the stage around 10:15 PM, opening with the band’s title track and leading single, “Ti Amo”, from the their upcoming release of the same title. The band’s 14-song set was diverse and filled with songs from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Bankrupt!, as well as songs from Ti Amo.

The French quartet delivered an energetic, exciting evening that was complete with a full light show and fog machine for an incredibly epic performance. From the alt-rock vibe of the track “Lisztomania” to the ’80s, synth-tinged “J-Boy”, Phoenix’s set list was filled with hits and deep cuts from their catalog.

If there was any doubt that Philadelphia is a music city, there isn’t anymore. The crowd was very enthusiastic about both Phoenix and the opening band, The Lemon Twigs. The band took the stage around 9:00 PM and played a 35-minute set featuring songs off their debut Do Hollywood. The Long Island natives opened their set with the first track from their record titled “I Wanna Prove to You”, an upbeat, love-centered song that’s perfect for an opening slot.

The overall vibe of the entire show, from the crowd, venue staff, to the actual artists, was a lot of fun and the bands delivered solid sets of their best work.