By: Kyle Grim ~Staff Writer~

 

Frequently hailed as one of the best up and coming bands, Phantogram lived up to the hype during its last concert.

This past Sunday, New York electronic duo Phantogram put on a spec­tacle at the 20th Century Theater.

The group combined both music and visuals to cre­ate a unique concert experience.

The band opened up with a song that cannot be found on any of its albums, simply called “Intro.”

It got the show started off with a big bang, featuring a hypnotic guitar riff from guitarist Josh Carter.

With Sarah Barthel’s vocals melting into the music and the multicolored strobe lights, the concert immediately established its multisensory tone.

The lights were always perfect­ly synced to the music, heighten­ing the atmosphere. It was never distracting.

Carter and Barthel are not only talented performers but also very skilled instrumentalists.

The songs were often arranged a little bit differently from the re­cordings to make them more suit­able to a live venue, showcasing the band’s chops.

Carter’s guitar in particular was more prominent on a few of the songs.

Barthel’s vocals were spot on throughout the night, and she is clearly the better vocalist of the two.

The focus of the night was never on the individuals, or even the band itself.

Phantogram recognizes that the true joy of a concert is all about the music.

It didn’t sacrifice the music for any wacky stage antics, and while the couple may have been groov­ing to the music, they never be­came distracting.

Its unique concert and well-written music showcases exactly why Phantogram may be the next big thing in music.