"We Are Phoenix and we come from France!"

This is now one of my favorite phrases of all time and I need to take a self-indulgent moment to wax poetic. I’ve been listening to Phoenix for years – even spent a whole summer working side by side with my friend Sarah listening to and singing little more than the nonsensical lyrics of the songs off “Alphabetical”. The band first won me over when I heard “Too Young” in “Lost in Translation” (also one of my all time fave films) and I have been seriously smitten with them ever since.

There was an NYTimes interview with Sofia Coppolla not too long after LIT’s release where she spoke about the band and how one of their songs made you want to be in love, (And now she is, of course, with lead singer Thomas Mars). But it really is an accurate description of their music given how intoxicatingly good and happy their songs make you feel, which also makes for a super uplifting live show. Fast forward six or so years to Saturday night and that’s exactly what we got. This was the third show of theirs that I’ve caught and they’ve yet to disappoint. It's always such a let down to go see a band you love and discovering that they suck live. Not so with Phoenix, their sound is always on point and then some.

If you’re in the mood for some happy you’re going to want to drop whatever you’re doing and load up your iPod with their latest disc Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. The track “1901” is inexhaustibly addictive. It’s practically been burned into my brain after a summer of relentless play. I dare you not to dance to it.

Phoenix. A big toast to them.
There. C'est tout. I’m done.

::: photo by Matthew McAndrew