The Belvoir venue is kind of like a big semi-circle crater with wide steps (where people can sit) leading down to the stage. There's also a wide open area directly in front of the stage where people can dance. When we arrived the crowd seemed pretty tame and most people were sitting down on the steps, but we decided to stand at the front for Miami Horror (the support act) anyway just in case it got crowded. Well that's an understatement! Toward the end of Miami Horror's set everyone started pushing like crazy into the dance area. We were actually in the 2nd row from the front, and being vertically challenged as I am, I was getting really pushed around and could barely breathe most of the time!
When Phoenix finally came on stage (about 40min after Miami Horror's set) the crowd went ballistic. They started with Lisztomania which created a huge mosh pit - yes a mosh pit for Phoenix! Well the mosh pit didn't let up at all throughout the set which was absolutely amazing, with my highlights (from the main set) being Love Like a Sunset and Too Young. After finishing Funky Square Dance they said goodbye to the crowd and left to huge cheers for encore. After a couple of minutes of leaving us hanging and teasing us by taking their instruments off the stage, they came back and did acoustic slow versions of Everything is Everything and (OMG) a cover of Air's Playground Love which was INCREDIBLE. They then brought back all the gear and played If I Ever Feel Better and 1901, which (along with Too Young) is my favourite Phoenix track ever.They're such amazing performers. Thomas is such a show man, climbing on the set scaffolding and on various occasions coming up to the barricades and performing while the crowd (yes including me) touched and grabbed him. It was hilarious watching security try and keep a handle on him, they certainly had their work cut out for them last night!
In conclusion, if you ever get a chance to see Phoenix, my god please take it! It's a night I'll never forget, best performance ever! (Oh and also because I touched Thomas and managed to get Deck's guitar pick)
