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Phantogram Light Up Detroit with a Hypnotic Night at The Fillmore
- LJ Portnoy
- Sep 2
- 2 min read
The duo delivered chaos, catharsis, and a light spectacle that left The Fillmore buzzing long after the final note.
Photos and review contributed by LJ Portnoy, Editor-in-Chief
A Night of Immersion
Detroit got a full dose of dream-pop intensity when Phantogram brought their tour to The Fillmore on Sunday night. The ornate theater became a swirling storm of bass, synths, and flashing lights, and by the end of the night, it felt less like a concert and more like being pulled into the band’s own universe.
Phantogram’s Sonic Identity
For more than a decade, Phantogram has carved out a distinct space in alternative and electronic music. Known for their seamless fusion of trip-hop beats, sharp guitar lines, and cinematic synth layers, the duo has a knack for balancing the dark with the euphoric. Sarah Barthel’s voice has long been the band’s emotional anchor—airy and haunting in one song, fierce and commanding in the next—while Josh Carter’s instrumentals bring texture and grit. Together, they’ve created a catalog that feels equally suited for headphones in solitude or a packed theater of thousands.
The Set Comes Alive
That dynamic was on full display in Detroit. From the opening track, Barthel and Carter reminded the audience why their sound is so addictive: heavy beats, layered textures, and vocals that cut sharp and clean through the mix. You Don’t Get Me High Anymore and Fall in Love had the theater buzzing, building anticipation for the night’s high point.
“Black Out Days” Steals the Show
Released in 2013 on their album Voices, Black Out Days has become Phantogram’s defining hit and a song that continues to resonate with fans more than a decade later. It’s a track built on tension—Barthel’s vocals raw with emotion, layered over pounding percussion and hypnotic synths. Live, that intensity multiplies. As soon as the first notes hit in Detroit, the crowd surged forward, voices rising in unison, the room completely alive. Sarah delivered the track with urgency and defiance, and paired with the light show, it was pure chaos in the best way. It was the song everyone seemed to be waiting for, and the payoff was unforgettable.
Lighting: A Challenge and a Spectacle
And about those lights. Wild doesn’t even begin to describe them. For photographers in the pit, the rapid strobes, thick fog, and shifting color palettes made it a near-impossible challenge to capture. But stepping back, it was obvious how spectacular it looked from the floor. The lighting design turned the Fillmore into its own living, breathing canvas, amplifying every rise and drop in the music. What felt overwhelming up close was breathtaking from a distance, a visual spectacle that perfectly matched the intensity of the sound.
A Lasting Impression
Phantogram doesn’t rely on much stage banter—they let the music speak, and it did. The crowd stayed locked in from start to finish, pulled between moments of dark, hypnotic tension and euphoric release. By the time the last notes faded, the Fillmore was vibrating with energy, proof that Phantogram knows exactly how to turn a performance into a full-body experience.
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