Moore Theatre Seattle, WA
Contact: lisag@grandstandhq.com
Web: phantogram.com
Players: Sarah Barthel, vocals, keyboards, guitars, production; Josh Carter, vocals, guitars, programming, synthesizers, drums, percussion, production
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 release 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. The varied tints and hues danced, synchronized in time alongside Sarah’s lilting voice and Josh’s trippy, Tron-esque synths and eccentric guitar riffs in the slinky “Don’t Move” from their 2011 EP Nightlife. 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 and sliding 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.
