Finneas at Hammersmith Apollo
Finneas appears alone on stage at the Hammersmith Apollo through a hazy cloud of smoke, a single light shining on his keyboard. With a timid wave to the crowd, he plays the opening keys to Starf*cker, the first song on his latest album, For Crying Out Loud! As the music ebbs and flows, so does the crowd, who shout along to lines like “You’re such a f*cking narcissist” with such passion, one would think that they, too, experienced Finneas’s heartbreak.
The American singer resembles a mix of all four Beatles, if they’d grown up surfing in Los Angeles. He fits the look, with his shoulder-length red hair and classic suit; his bandmates dress in variations of button-downs and jumpers. Their tone is equally psychedelic and distinctly modern in production, their instrumentation clean and technical. Finneas shows his unique ability to fuse elements of the past with visions of the future.
Cleats expands on the surfer rock vibe with twangy guitars, as does Sweet Cherries, one of the more memorable performances of the night, due in part to the number of teenage girls in homemade, rhinestone cherry t-shirts losing their minds upon hearing the opening drum beat. What’s It Gonna Take to Break Your Heart? was the standout performance. The track, dripping with 70s suave, complete with deep bass lines and a rapturous drum solo, got the crowd dancing and belting at the top of their lungs. Older fan favourites Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa and I Lost a Friend show the band at their sonic peak.
Finneas is both shy and playful with his crowd. He saunters across the stage, almost unsure of how to interact with the 5,000 faces staring back at him. With awkward charm, he dances and paces, slowly gaining his footing. Thankfully, the audience cannot get enough. Their screams of every lyric nearly drown out the singer’s vocals and, as if on cue, they rhythmically clap along.
Finneas’s endearing interactions with his adoring fans are the night’s true highlights. During 2001, Finneas impulsively snatches fans’ phones and films himself and his bandmates on stage before carelessly flinging them back into the crowd. Whether it was a Union Jack flag tossed from the audience and flung across Finneas’s shoulders, or a teasing question of who dragged their parents along to the show, the singer slowly emerges from his shell, making for a charming London debut.
Paulina Subia
Photos: Virginie Viche
For further information and future events, visit Finneas’s website here.
Watch the video for the single Giver / Taker here:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
RSS