Check out photos from the night here

Its hard to believe – and a delight for the Phoenix faithful – that the band should choose to return to Australian shores so soon, their previous appearance just months ago in August of 2009. This time they would fill out the illustrious Festival Hall. But with an album now well familiar to the Melbourne public, and another show so soon, could one expect many surprises from the French pop sensations?

First up were Miami Horror, at once drawing an admirable reception from those early in attendance. A thumping snare combined with a healthy dose of synth worked in unison to form the opening of the set, gradually building momentum, threatening to explode into something greater. Oddly, the song in question never got as far, but the follow-up immediately granted the energy that had been anticipated. Often the stage setup consists of two keyboardists and a drummer, each led by a solo-happy frontman Benjamin Plant. The band is his project: an electro-pop outfit taking cues from the 70s and 80s with a hint of disco. The appeal to Phoenix fans becomes obvious, and the comparisons to acts on the local circuit – namely, Hercules In New York, or even NZ’s Ladyhawke – ring startlingly true. To this end, it can all sound a bit familiar, particularly when they specialise in textbook chord progressions that, somehow, aren’t used to great effect. Disappointingly still, on this occasion, Miami Horror weren’t as cohesive as one might expect of a band on such a stage. The latter-half of the set ushered in a welcome changed, the tempo slowed dramatically to weave an ominous space opera. But this was the only surprise packet, the final song a return to form, leaving with, at best, a dilute lasting impression.

Phoenix hit the stage, the crowd a sea of camera phones held aloft in adoration for the band. A discordant wave of keys and guitars suddenly birthed Lisztomania, and the entire place erupted. This would be the trend of the evening: a wholly enthusiastic audience, competing with frontman Thomas Mars in voice throughout the entire set. Phoenix are impressive in that the sounds of their ensemble play distinct from one another, each dimension of each song abundantly clear in the mix, enabling the band to faithfully recreate their studio work. Lasso saw Mars get amongst his rapturous fans, before the mellow swagger of Run Run Run gave the band a chance to experiment in tangents. Fences then claimed itself as something of a highlight for the evening. They couldn’t do any wrong as far as Festival Hall was concerned, their setlist tailored to suit the enormous thirst of a public utterly enamored by one of the biggest albums of 2009. That said, if you were a dedicated fan, and expected a showcase of their career, you might have been disappointed with their choices. Very early on this show established itself to be in support of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, rarely deviating.

The twinkling’s of keys prompted Love Like A Sunset, working as a kind of interlude midway through the set. It proved an unfortunate lull, destroying the band’s momentum all at once. Honestly, it confused the crowd more than anything else. Variety in such a show is typically welcome, but this was one of those times when it worked against the band, the song continuing minute after minute, verging on tedium. Napoleon Says, however, would soon restore expectations, and Rome again whipped everyone into a frenzy. An encore brought an acoustic rendition of Everything Is Everything, as well as a cover of Air’s Playground Love. Then came the two biggest songs of the night: If I Ever Feel Better, first, before Festival Hall was almost minus a roof with the first notes of 1901. Put simply, if you weren’t jumping, you could feel the entire place shake. The wings and the balcony, although distanced from the action, were also wild in their appreciation for the song. The repeated cry of ‘Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it!’ rang out across the venue, the momentary unity of both band and its legions something to behold. The song extended long past its usual length, Mars wandering into the crowd, as band stood atop amps as musical obelisks. A while later and it was finally over. There was no doubt about it: the song was an absolute showstopper.

The sheer energy and joy in seeing Phoenix at their best is an addictive treat. They can be stylish, quirky, and yet effortlessly catchy; a notion well and truly supported by a crowd that exited in awe this particular evening. There was little to fault in their appearance at Festival Hall, justifying their return to Australia so soon. It will be interesting to see, however, if Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix takes a backseat for even greater success in the future. I expect we won’t be disappointed.