Review + Photos by LUIS MORENO
Perfume Genius put on a dazzling show at The Wiltern touring the album Set My Heart On Fire Immediately.
Set My Heart On Fire Immediately was released back in 2020 when the world hit the pause button. But Perfume Genius recently released IMMEDIATELY Remixes which sees every song on Set My Heart On Fire Immediately remixed in original running sequences by an all-star cast.
Perfume Genius’ primary chemist is Michael Hadreas (vocal, piano), who knows how to blend together great sound. The first ingredient the perfumer sprinkled was “Your Body Changes Everything,” which set the concert up for a surreal experience. The show amplifies Hadreas’ honesty of who he is and his lyrics. But the music which echoes Hadreas’ Greek ancestry is filled with tragedy, solemness, tenderness, and romance.
As a master perfumer of scents and fantasy Hadreas weaves his intoxicating potion throughout the night with other ingredients like “Jason,” “Fool,” “On the Floor.” All those moments build up to the performance of “Photograph.” Michael is flogged and beaten with bouquets of flowers by his longtime partner and musical collaborator Alan Wyffels where love and abuse can walk a thin line, and sometimes walk hand in hand.
This Perfume Genius show was to be experienced by all the senses and emotions a true love romance could only provide. The hypnagogic scent of music just floats all the voyeurs into a trance of subtle movements barely noticeable like a slow drip.
And like when you wake up in the morning, the venue lights bring you out of a slumber back to reality.
