Phantom Thread: PHANTOGRAM On Tour at the Forum

Lights out. A roar. A singly-lit stage. Thunderous stomps of ravenous listeners. Technicolor, to mimic the kaleidoscopic chords. On Thursday, Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter— the 14-year coupling comprising Phantogram— electrified the Kia Forum with symphonies of synth, playing predecessor on Kings of Leon’s national tour, spanning dozens of cities across the country. Each of the stadium’s 17,000 seats echoed with the rhythms of the band’s greatest hits and latest releases, the most recent of which includes “Come Alive”: a fresh single paying homage to the duo’s spectral sound and alternative lyricism. The band is set to headline numerous shows in the coming months, as they edge toward the release of Memory of a Day, their fifth full-length studio album, marking an impactful return to the industry with the first unveiling of a new sound since 2020’s Ceremony. Memory of a Day stands as a significant milestone in the duo’s next chapter, as it is their freshman creation in partnership with Neon Gold Records, lauded indie label which kneaded the talents of Charli XCX and HAIM. Poignantly, “Come Alive” embraces and emphasizes existence’s ephemerality, reflecting on troughs and triumphs as one would a calendar. It is no accident that this record is borne of such a fruitful pairing, sending Phantogram into orbit, reclaiming their post on the global stage. Anticipation of Phantogram’s renaissance permeates the Forum, the hypnotic beat entrancing veteran and newborn fans alike, seducing thousands into the fold of the experimental, the transcendently psychedelic. Barthel and Carter weave onstage chemistry of decades-old collaborators, cultivating creation as they carouse, at once maudlin and merry, seriously stirring. The nature of Phantogram’s blended tempos and incomparable conspiracy renders each performance rare and remarkable, coaxing attendees to witness as many playings as possible, heartily reinvigorating the notion of groupies of yore. 

Written by Delaney Willet | @dpwillet 

Photographed by Jesse Lirola | @jesselirola