Heading into Thursday night’s show at the Middle East, my expectations were set pretty high. As a huge fan of both Twin Shadow’s and Bear in Heaven’s albums, I was ready for some sexy synth-heavy magic. While there were some surprising elements to the night’s performances, I was certainly not disappointed.
Following a brief but enjoyable set by Philly-based dream poppers Sun Airway, Twin Shadow, a.k.a George Lewis Jr., took the stage. The first thing I noticed during his opening rendition of “Shooting Holes” was how much fuller his new-wave tinged sound was when performed live. The songs, as recorded on Lewis’ debut album Forget, are tempered with a sense of restraint and careful phrasing. Here, benefiting from a stronger guitar presence and some punk swagger, everything seemed amped up. The difference was most noticeable on the crowd favorite “Slow.” The echoing, anthemic chorus (“I don’t wanna, believe, or be, in love”) was sped up and belted out. The audience responded in kind by belting it right back at him. It was a great showcase for Lewis’ impressive vocals and charismatic stage presence.
The fog machine and intense red lighting were a tip off that Bear in Heaven was about to take us someplace darker and more dramatic. The psychedelic synths mixed with some intense percussion from drummer Joe Stickney backed up that promise. Standout tracks “Lovesick Teenagers” and “You Do You” provided the audience with something to bang their heads to. That being said, the overall feel of the set was hypnotic with songs melting into one another. Keeping things from going into full-on ambient territory was Stickney’s drumming. Mesmerizing to watch and providing a huge dose of excitement to the performance, he was the standout. Less engaging were singer Jon Philpot’s vocals. The nasal quality of Philpot’s voice has never bothered me on the albums, but here, it was almost distracting. It seemed whiny and out of step with the dark, atmospheric mood that the rest of the band was providing. And while something about that mood has stuck with me, it was Twin Shadow that left me wanting more.
