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If you are already familiar with the work of Perfume Genius, the creative guise of the extraordinarily talented Mike Hadreas, then you will fully understand just how gut-wrenchingly beautiful the complex simplicity of his raw and emotional music can be. Performing amidst the ornate surroundings of Saint Pancras Old Church tonight only serves to add to the drama of his music.
Performing tonight as part of a trio, Hadreas steps onto the stage and appears as unassuming and fragile as the music he creates. In spite of this, or perhaps because of it, from the very first second the soft cries of ‘Gay Angels’ begin to echo around the church, you can feel the goosebumps on your skin and the hair on the back of your neck stand up – feelings that linger for the duration of the set.
Although known for his deeply personal lyrics, an early highlight (one of many) comes in the form of the sparse yet haunting 'Lookout, Lookout', which documents the frankly terrifying story of child murderer Mary Bell. 'Dark Parts' quickly follows, a rare euphoric moment directed towards his mother, which all too quickly reaches its heartbreaking conclusion, as Hadreas gently whispers "I will take the dark parts of your heart into my heart." It's a lyric that perhaps encapsulates everything Perfume Genius is about.
The poignancy of singing 'All Waters' in a church alongside his partner and keyboard player Alan Wyffels is all to palpable, as Hadreas sings of his longing to "hold your hand on any crowded street, with no hesitating" with his eyes tightly shut. As he acknowledges the audience with a reluctant grin, there's a suggestion of a tear, although it's hard to tell as he sits amongst candlelight. It wouldn't be surprising though – the audience are also fraught with emotion and stunned into a hushed reverie.
Towards the end of the show, the chilling 'Mr. Peterson' proves to be a truly special moment, with its jaunty melody betraying the disturbing, autobiographical tale of a teacher's forbidden love, with Hadreas candidly singing "when I was 16, he jumped off a building. Mr. Peterson, I know you were ready to go, I hope there's room for you up above or down below." Despite the fragility of both his voice and demeanour, it takes real courage to be so brazenly honest and forthcoming. With the finale of unreleased song 'Katie', the audience are shaken from their awestruck silence and burst into a much-deserved rapturous applause.
Listening and watching Perfume Genius at times feels like an intrusive experience, but it's also a moving and endlessly rewarding one. If you can find comfort in heartbreak, then you absolutely must welcome Perfume Genius into your life, for he is the kind of artist who only comes around once in a lifetime.
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article by: Craig Jones
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| published: 16/05/2012 13:32 |
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