Music and magic met in the middle for VOILÀ’s Moonbloom Tour at The Van Buren last week- and the result was a jaw-dropping spectacle that left the packed room in awe. The duo of Gus Ross and Luke Eisner brought a troupe of circus acts and magicians to provide a sprinkle of theatrical illusions and stunts throughout their lengthy and energetic set.
Before the headlining magic began, rising star Ella Red brought some of her own dark arts to life as the night’s opening act. Dressed to kill in a flowing red gown and her signature pink hair, Red whirled and twirled across the stage to songs like “Parasite” and “Hannibal”. Her vocal power and control was undeniably impressive and she left quite the impression on the early crowd by the end of her short yet memorable performance.
Up next was the highly anticipated return of Weathers to the Valley. The SoCal natives have always been frequent visitors to Phoenix and they were visibly excited to be back onstage after a while away. The band played fast and loose, starting with the stomping beat of “Happy Pill” and the cheeky “Your Girlfriend” right into a rousing cover of Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”. Singer Cameron Boyer contorted into all kinds of long-legged shapes, grinning wickedly at the crowd through “I’m Not Ok” and “Teeth” before getting the audience involved for the final number of “C’est La Vie”. Weathers and their audience had a blast throughout the set, making up for plenty of lost time before the curtain came up on the main event.
The last time VOILÀ visited Phoenix, their Valley Bar show was jammed to the doors with fans eager to experience the flamboyant spectacle that the band has cultivated from the beginning. This tour took that to the next level, with fans being handed blinking bunny ears at the door that created a sea of twinkling red and blue lights as the first act- a juggler- took the stage to begin the set. From full illusions to standard circus fare, these talented performers were woven into the fabric of the band’s performance, starting with the moon rising over “Tic Tac Toe” and “Therapy”.
VOILÀ’s audience can only be described as passionate and that passion fed directly into the energy pouring from The Van Buren’s stage. Ross and Eisner spent every possible moment interacting with the fans, leaning over the garden built into the front of the stage and smiling broadly during “FMK!” and “Voodoo”. They even brought Cameron Boyer back out for a bouncing duet of “Unhappy Hour”- to the delight of both bands’ devotees.
Twenty songs and countless tricks later, the night began to meander towards a resolution of the plotline and a reluctant end to the music as well. Ross and Eisner showed nothing but gratitude to their fans for everything from the upgraded venue to the outpouring of love that made Arizona their largest headlining show to date- a feat that will certainly be surpassed in the very near future. VOILÀ ended with “The Last Laugh?” and “Figure You Out”, concluding a show that was more than just a concert- it was an immersive visual extravaganza that Arizona is already eager to repeat.
