Perfume Genius brings Glory to Phoenix
Article written by and photos by Kili Goodrich
On the night of May 30th, The Van Buren in Phoenix, Arizona was transformed into a sanctuary of sound and movement. All because of Perfume Genius—the moniker of artist Mike Hadreas. The Glory Tour was nothing but a gift brought to the area. Known for his fearless exploration of vulnerability, queerness, and transformation, Hadreas has long defied categorization. Witnessing him live is to watch an artist not only perform, but become every gesture. Every note, and breath was both a declaration and discovery.
Cloaked in blue light and a slow-blooming cloud of smoke opened the night. Hadreas emerged like a specter to the first notes of “In A Row.” His silhouette was ghostly and commanding. Immediately, the crowd was pulled into a dreamscape. One where emotion is architecture and sound is skin.
Perfume Genius’s most recent album, Glory, which serves as the spine of The Glory Tour, is a genre-defying body of work. It shifts from minimalist beauty to theatrical chaos. Its live translation was nothing short of immaculate. Vocally, every performance was achingly pure. Filling the venue with an intensity that was at once gut-punching. It could only be defined as beautifully haunting.
During “Describe” and “It’s A Mirror,” Hadreas delivered one of the evening’s most riveting moments. Seated on the stage floor, bathed in a saturated red light. He tangled within the microphone chord. Turning the performance into something fully visceral. His control and abandon collided.
There is no separating Hadreas the musician from Hadreas the physical performer. His body language is a living medium. Whether bending backward over a silver chair, or rolling slowly atop a yoga ball, every movement spoke in tandem with the music. It’s like watching art create itself in real time. Each gesture felt deliberate, but never rehearsed. Instinctual. Spiritual.
Songs like “Valley” and “On the Floor” shifted the energy into a more rhythmic pulse. Laced with a pop sensibility that still held the ache of his deeper themes. It was “Slip Away” that broke something open. Personally beloved by myself as a late-night drive song. It’s perfect for wind-washed freedom. The live rendition was absolutely cleansing. As the chorus swelled people danced in place. Eyes were closed and arms raised. For me, the joy felt sacred. There’s a specific kind of fulfillment Perfume Genius brings to a room. Something unforced, and deeply human.
“Otherside,” had its crescendo of restrained release. The power of “Queen” turned the entire venue into a euphoric wave of energy. The performance was a jolt of energy. When he left the stage, the audience remained suspended in that frequency. Buzzing, and breathless. Hadreas returned once more. Just to deliver a haunting cover of Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You.” The entire room exhaled together. Lungs deflating to a more gentle breath.
Perfume Genius could conjure a world. One where contradictions live freely. Where power and fragility find a home. In Phoenix he reminded us not only of the brilliance of his artistry, but of the ways performance can transcend.
