Phantogram Sells out Union Transfer two nights in a row

“Our first time playing in Philadelphia, ten people showed up, and they were awesome…now we sold out 2 shows in a row. Thank you, Philadelphia.” 

Last Friday, the New York synth pop / rock duo Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter of Phantogram filled Union Transfer to capacity. Upon walking in to the venue, signs warning fans that an excessive amount of strobe lights were to be expected, and they weren’t joking.

Turning up the heat early in the night, Barthel’s sexy sound captivated the audience hit after hit. Crowd pleasers such as, “Don’t Move” and “Black Out Days” were just a few of the stand out performances.  Lights bounced off of cloak that Barthel wore as she rotated, illuminating the venue in human disco ball form. The mesmerizing visuals paired with their down-tempo song “Bill Murray” off the album Voices was the perfect chill down. 

Once again bringing the energy back to the crowd, Barthel says, “Get ready to sweat” upon playing “When I’m Small.” They went on to end the night with an encore of “Mouth Full of Diamonds” and “Celebrating Nothing”. Amazing visuals, sexy sounds, and extreme energy seems to sum up the theme of the night. 

Review and photos by Teresa McCullough