Phoenix are really nice guys. Around this time last year Adelaide was snubbed during the band’s sold-out Australian tour. We were hurt, but we didn’t show it, confident that the French kings would somehow, someday make good for bypassing our sweet little city. On Monday night they did just that and in the best possible way – repaying us with their only Australian headline show of 2011. Sure, a few of the other states get the chance to see the band at the Good Vibrations festivals, but not intimately like we did. Thanks Phoenix.

It was a massive coup for the indie kids of A-Town and they showed they were grateful by turning out in droves at the Entertainment Centre. Others on the receiving end of some good fortune were local up-and-coming dance punk outfit The Touch, who got the support slot. Unfortunately, due to the classic “confusing the doors open time with the actual gig start time” mix-up I missed their entire set and to be honest was lucky to arrive in time for the main act. Sorry boys. From what I heard after the gig they played a commendable set.

Shoot, what can you say about Phoenix’s show? ‘Incredible’ is one word that comes to mind. From the moment they took to the stage their presence and sound were impeccable. And the lights. Always with the lights. Those things were crazy, jumping from epileptic-fit inducing flashes during one song to enigmatic silhouette producing beams in the next, they certainly added heaps to the show. The way the laser-like beam followed the amps and up around the drum kit during the epic Love Like a Sunset (a highlight) was rad. A metronome ticking to the beat under the spotlight at the end of the song was an eerie touch.

Other highlights included obvious choices Lisztomania and Long Distance Call which garnered huge responses. A super-electronic sounding track after the band left the stage briefly mid-way through the set (where his voice was all robot-ised – let me know if you know the name of it) was a banger, and showed a side of the band I hadn’t really seen before. There was definite Daft Punk-ness on this one and it was heavy; real heavy.

They also went balls-out (not literally) on Run Run Run and encore track 1901 with the vocalist Thomas Mars screaming his darn lungs out. Slower tracks such as Countdown and their cover of compatriot Air’s Playground Love mixed it up and got the old slow hand side-to-side wave going in the crowd.

Perhaps the coolest part of the night – apart from seeing the guitarist necking a Coopers Pale Ale – was during the encore reprise of 1901. What looked like a giant skipping rope or piece of red liquorice started making its way from the stage through the crowd. I didn’t know what was going on until Mars popped up above the extended arms of his fans about five metres in front of me. It was a microphone lead.

He crowd-surfed his way back to stage and they called it a night, not before telling us they’re now “gonna go home and make a new album” and “hopefully see [us] soon”. Exciting times and a memorable concert experience.