The art of becoming unhinged and discovering beauty in the aftermath.
Led by the perpetually youthful Mike Hadreas, a Perfume Genius performance feels more like a transmission than a typical concert. Berlin is met with an artist in flux — twisting, lunging, and redefining himself with every beat, akin to a heart striving to break free from its confines. Now residing in LA, the 44-year-old Iowa native maneuvers across the stage with the assurance of someone who has wholly embraced his uniqueness and made it his expression. His fluid movements are both visceral and electric, embodying how emotions might take physical shape.
The tracks from his newest album, ‘Glory,’ extend this concept further: an elegant and open soundtrack addressing the uncomfortable themes of grief, anxiety, and isolation. Incorporating elements from glam, gospel, and synth-pop without lingering in one spot for too long, his seventh record encapsulates the bliss and torment of queer existence, tempered by past wounds. Being the only gay student in his school, Hadreas faced severe bullying throughout his childhood. He left high school after receiving death threats and experiencing an assault by a group of men, ultimately seeking refuge in music. Still plagued by anxiety, Hadreas transforms his pain into something uplifting — and tonight, rising above the tension, he leaves everything on stage.
The opening song ‘In A Row’ quickly showcases the evening’s contrasts, with Hadreas’ husband, Alan Wyffels’ vibrant synths setting the stage for his partner’s emotionally charged singing. The track humorously critiques dark teenage impulses, questioning the notion that suffering is a prerequisite for artistry, and cymbals propel the song into a frenzied peak. Another piece from ‘Glory,’ the jagged rhythm of ‘It’s a Mirror’ heightens the theme of grief with tight, fuzzy guitars, while the nervy sophistication of ‘No Front Teeth’ builds to one of the most intense moments of the evening.
Then comes the camp anthem ‘Slip Away’ from 2017’s ’No Shape,’ a decorative fight song about liberation, with Hadreas lifting his arms and getting entangled in a chair, delivering a powerful punch on a dreary Monday. In contrast, the gentle ‘Left For Tomorrow’ envisions the loss of a maternal figure amid a tapestry of bass, snare, and metaphor, followed by serene piano renditions of ‘Me & Angel’ along with Nirvana’s ‘Polly’ that offer quiet, meditative instances, highlighting Hadreas' voice.
From his 2020 experimental Americana album ‘Set My Heart On Fire Immediately,’ ‘On the Floor’ injects a theatrical energy boost, while the restrained longing of the set’s highlight ‘Otherside’ halts suddenly, with Hadreas bending backward as if caught in slow motion. The silence is palpable before the song resumes in an eruption of dazzling, ecstatic noise, a single rose outlined against a backdrop of red illumination.
The closing track, ‘Queen,’ from his bold synth-pop breakthrough ‘Too Bright’ (2014), concludes the evening emphatically, enveloping the space in a swirl of smoke and glory — but not before solo renditions of This Mortal Coil’s ‘Kangaroo’ and Mazzy Star’s ‘Fade Into You.’ With a whispered tribute to the dream-pop lineage that preceded his own anthem of defiance, Hadreas and his band leave the audience uplifted. There’s no simple solution for the anxiety and fear weighing down our generation, but it’s reassuring to know that someone out there shares that experience.
Perfume Genius is a captivating artist you may never entirely comprehend, yet he encourages you to feel as intensely and imperfectly alive as he does. Having channeled the pain of his past, he creates music rich with lush, challenging contradictions, perfecting the craft of becoming unbound. By the end of the night, he is laughing, his sheer shirt glimmering with light and sweat. It’s exhilarating, somewhat absurd, and wholly liberating. Offering his body on stage each night must come with a cost, but for someone who has overcome so much, it’s a beautiful burden of queer survival.
Setlist:
In a Row
It’s a Mirror
No Front Teeth
Slip Away
Left for Tomorrow
Valley
Me & Angel
Polly (Nirvana cover)
Clean Heart
On the Floor
Otherside
Describe
Eye in the Wall
My Body
Kangaroo (This Mortal Coil cover)
Fade Into You (Mazzy Star cover)
Queen
Words: Billy Burrell
Photography: Billie Clarken
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The process of unraveling and discovering beauty in the aftermath. Guided by the ever-youthful Mike Hadreas, a Perfume Genius performance resembles a