The Black Queen brought their Fever Daydream 10th Anniversary Tour to Last Exit Live in Phoenix for the final night of the run, celebrating a decade of their dark, synth-driven debut album. The evening didn’t exactly go according to plan, with technical issues from the onset promising a bumpy ride, but the band refused to let the glitches have the final word. Armed with a steady stream of bad jokes, a determination to see things through, and a welcoming and understanding crowd of friends and fanatics, Greg Puciato and Danny Lohner turned the interruptions into part of the evening’s good times. The audience met every hiccup with patience and good humor, keeping the energy alive and the dance floor moving each time Greg Puciato and crew were able to kick the music off again. Fever Daydream is a synth and electronic heavy album, with the flair of harder rock that makes it stand out, and the live performance was no different. Puciato’s soaring, airy vocals work incredibly well over Lohner’s and Steven Alexander’s heavy guitar and keyboard work, with Chris Pennie providing a propulsive beat from behind the kit. It was an imperfect way to end a tour, but one that felt fitting for a celebration of Fever Daydream: chaos and beauty combining with a room full of people willing to roll with the punches and enjoy the ride through the rough stints. Sometimes the best shows aren’t the flawless ones, but the ones where everyone commits to having a damn good time anyway.
