Four years since their last visit to Brighton, dream-pop icons Beach House could not have chosen a more suitable venue in which to perform their comeback gig. Despite the band’s traditional composition of only two members, Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally, the duo were accompanied by additional musicians for Monday night’s extra special set. Joined on stage by drummer and percussionist James Barone, Fleet Foxes’ Skyler Skjelset also played keyboard, as well as providing the opening and supporting set for the headliner.
With one continuous beat sounding throughout the entire performance, Skjelset entranced the audience with a full thirty minutes of intense and hypnotic electro. Combining a captivating mix of distorted vocals and electronic sounds that echoed eerily throughout the church, the set provided an interesting, if not slightly overwhelming experience before main attraction, Beach House, took to the stage.
Opening with ‘Levitation’, the first track from their 2015 album Depression Cherry, Legrand’s angelic vocals, coupled with the slow beat and subtle synth sections of the song, set a dreamy tone for the concert. Vibrant lights, changing between a spectrum of colours further contributed to the psychedelic aspects of the performance. Transitioning from fifth to third studio album, the epic synth of ‘Walk in the Park’ did nothing to disturb the relaxed atmosphere, uplifting the audience with its monumental chorus and mellow vocals.
“The roses on the lawn // Don’t know which side you’re on” Legrand sings, as the band play the delicate, upbeat melody ‘Wishes’. The organ-like synth patterns appear fitting for the venue in which they are played, the psychedelic vibe continued as the lyrics ask “is it even real?”. The band break into ‘All Your Yeahs’ as a series of stars and purple rays are projected onto the high ceilings and linen material which is casually draped around the stage area, enclosing the performers in a space almost, but not quite, separate from their surroundings.
“Darkness descends” – the room falls dark and the musicians exchange instruments between songs. The crowd are completely quiet throughout the performance, breaking the silence only to show their appreciation at the finish of songs and in response to questions from the band. Despite conventional stage set-ups mainly focusing the audience’s attention on the lead singer, each group member was equally emphasized and equally entrancing in their enthusiasm and skilled performance. “This is the love part of the show” Legrand claims from beneath the hood of her long, glittery coat, as the opening notes of Vampire Weekend-esque ‘Take Care’ play, followed by former singles ‘Myth’ and ‘Spark’.
However, after the band leave the stage, the audience erupt with desperate calls for encore and wild cheers of excitement as their demands for “one more song” are complied with. Legrand stating “it’s nice to hear people being happy”, the choral sounds of ‘Days of Candy’ finish the set, a suitably fitting final song for the extraordinary venue in which it was performed.
Words by Kate Eldridge