LLL: Soap&Skin and Perfume Genius

Linda Live in London, live reports of Soap&Skin and Perfume Genius (2010)

That is what they say, right? It might not be two opposites actually coming together in the case I'm referring to, but they came damn close. I'm talking here about the extravagantly extravert 19-year-old Anja Plaschg, better known as Soap&Skin, and the introvert Mike Hadreas who makes up Perfume Genius. Two performances that couldn't be more enchanting, though different in so many ways.

First up is youngster Anja. She was supposed to perform in London earlier this year, but her efforts were thwarted by a particular Icelandic volcano. Just the setting, in the wonderful Union Chapel (and an actual chapel for that, with Sunday services and all) is worth the wait. Add to that the chamber music ensemble that lines the part of the stage that isn't taken up by Soap&Skin's grand piano and you've got a rather promising formula for a good night of music. But that is not all, there is also Soap&Skin's personality that makes up a large part of the show. Her voice is something to be jealous of, and she isn't afraid to show it off. The theatrical tracks off of her album Lovetune For Vacuum are blasted into the chapel, both vocally and by her admirable piano skills. At times the chamber music ensemble seem to have the utmost trouble matching her volume. Not that it really matters, they get the chance to shine in some of the more calm songs.

Halfway through there is a moment though, during 'Spiracle'. Soap&Skin sits behind her piano belting out the lyrics when she suddenly appears to have a complete black out. Seconds of silence, retracing her steps on the piano but the words don't seem to come back to her. A minute passes, still there's silence. A bit hesitant she gets up, and walks over to her background singer - a few people applaud encouragingly, but she, almost panicky, signals them to stop. The other singer whispers the words into her ear and shyly Soap&Skin makes her way back to the grand piano, takes a deep breath and sings the rest of the song with such vigour as to make up for a lifetime of mistakes.

Surprisingly, fear and making mistakes seem to be exactly what the song is about, and the breakdown fits rather nicely in the set. At this point you still want to believe in her sincerity, but as the set progresses it gets more and more obvious she is playing a part. Which is absolutely not a bad thing, it even goes rather well with the music. And the fact that I initially was rather hesitant in believing the black out was a set up is a good indication of her acting skills. For someone of her age, it can only be very promising.

The next performance, only 24 hours later, could not be more different. Perfume Genius was in London earlier this year for one of his first performances in front of an actual audience. It was sold out weeks in advance, and talked about for even longer. I believe I wrote at that time that it felt a bit like a piano recital, and oh boy, Mike Hadreas has been listening. Whereas his first performance was in an actual music venue, this time he has taken a step back and is performing in a hall that belongs to the English Folk Dance and Song Society which is also infrequently used, you've guessed it, for the recitals of the local music school. And with the plastic seats lined up especially for this occasion and the lack of proper stage lighting it does set the scene for a proper recital this time.

However, there are some signs of improvement since last time. For one thing, Mike Hadreas appears more confident. Not that he is not his shy self, but the presence of an audience seems less like a surprise to him and he dares to interact with them this time, and he even makes jokes. Also, the pan flute on Alan Wyffels's keyboard is tuned down a bit - a big improvement in my humble opinion. Music-wise, the performance has also improved: there are less mistakes, though it's certainly not flawless. But flawlessness wouldn't suit Perfume Genius as the occasional cock up is actually quite charming. The most impressive bit of the evening is when Mike takes place behind the grand piano that is set up just next to the stage. Maybe it's the contrast with the for the occasion installed sound system that results in rather flat keyboard sounds or grand pianos in general, but it sounds absolutely mind blowing. Where Soap&Skin excelled in big and theatrical sounds a day earlier, Perfume Genius manages to impress with simplistic songs that win on content.

A minor flaw is the lack of a back catalogue, which results in Perfume Genius literally performing all his songs and, in the end, a rather similar setlist to that of his show earlier this year. There is still enough there to keep one interested though: the interaction between Alan and Mike, Mike's smile when he gets a song right, and of course the rather brilliant songs itself. There's nothing like a bit of dark storytelling disguised as a pop song.