Live Review: Phantogram -Running Through Colors Tour

Phantogram - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Phantogram - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine
Edited by Fiza Javid

Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom Chicago
Friday - February 14, 2025

Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter of Phantogram, currently on their "Running Through Colors Tour", with a stop at the Aragon Ballroom Chicago.
On Valentine's Day.
When the doors opened for tonight's show, my usual modus operandi is to go upstairs to get my camera gear in order.
My usual spot is at the corner of the bar at the rear of the main floor, with plenty of space to get things in check.

What was unusual about this particular show was the medic crew, assisting a man up the stairs, and to fit him eventually into one of the wheelchairs provided by the venue.
Have to say how painstaking this was, one set of stairs at a time, to get him up to the main floor, and then eventually to the special section laid out for wheelchairs and such.
The medics took their time, knowing full well that this is part of the process, especially for this guy, in relation to the musical experience.

Not even literally five minutes after that, coming up the same set of stairs, a blind girl, with assistance from her friend, navigated the same set of stairs slowly and assuredly to the main floor.
I'm under the impression that they've done this before, their conversation alluding to Phantogram, and to hear their older favorite songs along with the new, both with big smiles at the excitement of it all.
They proceeded with their conversation right next to me, with the blind girl asking her friend where do you think the sweet listening spot would be on the main floor for the best sound.
I felt compelled at first to jump in, but didn't, simply because I didn't want to intrude on their conversation, and the girl assisting stating that we should just roam around a bit, and locate a spot that feels comfortable with decent sound.

I Bring all of this up because after years and years and years of documenting bands, I've never witnessed firsthand anything quite like this, especially back to back episodes of assistance.
And at a Phantogram show no less.
How cool is that- the vibes throughout before the show, especially on a Friday night in Chicago, and especially on Valentine's Day.

And the feel good moments continued throughout, leading up to Phantogram entering the stage.
Have to say their electronic rock/ electronic pop/ dream pop whatever still dazzles, based on the strength of their back catalog, and also equally based on the strength of their latest release from last year in October with "Memory of a Day".

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Phantogram - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Phantogram - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Phantogram - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Phantogram - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Phantogram - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Phantogram - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

And the setlist for tonight reflects this, opening the show with "Jealousy" from their new album, along with six other interspersed throughout.
The audience from my perception digs the vibes as well, both old and new songs, which measures with me that Sarah and Josh continue to have lots to say, with compositions and songwriting chops that expand, let alone produce otherworldly arrangements.

The overall feel of their body of work, at least for me, are songs based on a style of movie/ cinema vignettes, acting out in a way that's like "detached and exceptional chill", if there is such a thing.
Conveyed from the opener, with dark ambient hues in regards to lighting, for the first three songs from the pit, the second being "Don't Move", followed by the banger "Fall in Love".
All sweeping and gliding along arrangements absorbed once again in the intoxicating synths, followed by the enchanting and breathlessly creative and subdued vocals of Sarah Barthel.
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The duo of Phantogram know by now a thing or two to convey their thoughts musically with swirling guitars, washed over with enchanting beats, and followed by commanding and compelling vocals.
That formula works to the present day, if for anything they know how to build on beats and samples from the ground up, ever attentive to natural surroundings and sounds I assume that the average listener would take for granted, let alone record it, save it, hum it out loud for later, all the time knowing full well that these two are hyper aware of such things when in the midst of the creative process, let alone I assume a catalog or files and files of beats and sounds that they've saved from over the years.

That above sentence says lots in my opinion, not being of course in their inner circle of creativity, but still, me acting like a detective on such things, followed by my camera work from over the decades, and having witnessed working with the band from back in the day when they did a live performance taping at JBTV Music Television- even then you could see how their partnership is truly special musically speaking, creatively speaking.

The setlist, the show- some 17 songs in total including encore.
And it was all over in a flash, each song taking a deep dive into the next, ending with the glorious "When I'm Small", from their debut album "Eyelid Movies", from back in 2010.
Hard to take that in when you think of it, some fifteen or so years later.
That says lots about how these songs still hold up to the present day, and still sound so fresh and not dated, nothing cringeworthy.

Good songwriting and musicianship- that's Sarah and Josh of course.
Add to the fact performance wise they seem to be having fun, and adding luster and panache to their shows, embracing as well a bit of the sexy when it comes to fashion, followed by solid performance art.
Such is this show with Phantogram- with dates now heading west, with stops in Denver and Salt Lake City, before ending up with more dates along the West Coast.
Not to be missed.

Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago

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Phantogram, Aragon Ballroom, Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, Jerry Bryant, Bobby Talamine, Fiza Javid, JBTV Music Television, Chicago Live Music