Francis and the Lights, Live At Red Devil Lounge

francis and the lights the retrospective Photo Credit: Alicia Adams

There must be something beautiful and dangerous happening inside the mind of Francis Farewell Starlite. Having experienced his live shows only through a few video clips here and there, I was ecstatic to hear that he would be gracing the stage at San Francisco’s Red Devil Lounge. Although I had no idea, YouTube was about to get blown out of the water: writing this piece was maybe almost as difficult as it must be for Francis and the Lights to duplicate through any form of digital media what I saw live at 2009’s close.

francis and the lights the retrospective
Photo Credit: Alicia Adams

Already familiar with the band’s previous efforts, Striking and A Modern Promise, I walked into the intimate club setting at the Red Devil Lounge expecting to hear some of my favorite jams like, “The Top,” “Strawberry,” and “A Modern Promise,“ expertly orchestrated in their CD form by a live band. WRONG. Oozing cool from every pore, Francis and The Lights breathed fresh air into the 20-plus song set that night. Every piece took on a life of its own as Francis drove the crowd into a frenzy. He would break away from trances to ask the rapt audience, “Are you ready?!” and “Do you want more?!” The crowd’s response was always a unanimous, breathless yes! Watching that man shout, croon and astound us with his trademark dance moves, we experienced something striking indeed, something wholeheartedly Francis.

francis and the lights the retrospective
Photo Credit: Alicia Adams

In 2010, Francis is heading back into the studio and gearing up for another release. When he decides to break away and showcase what he’s been working on, I suggest that you drop what you’re doing and go see him live. Listening to an album does not compare to the sheer enjoyment you’ll get from seeing him rock the stage live.

Francis and the Lights Photos on Flickr
Francis and the Lights website

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