Flight Facilities with Beat Connection
The Showbox, Seattle, WA
02.21.15

Saturday night brought Australian electro-pop producer duo Flight Facilities to Seattle’s Showbox theatre for what might have been one of the most active dance party nights they’ve seen recently. A sold out crowd, a major light show, pilot costumes and guest singers prevailed over the historic ballroom while the duo whipped through just over an hour’s worth of what felt like greatest hits.

Riding the wave of fanfare off their 2014 full-length release Down to Earth, Flight Facilities made more than expected of their live show set up. With what amounted to a light-up flight deck framing the stage, the duo also brought along Aussie friends Owl Eyes (who also perform on “Heart Attack” from the album, and Surahn Sidhu, whose George Michael-esque façade has a lot of musical excellence behind it.

Owl Eyes (ne Brooke Addamo) and Sidhu took turns on the stage, layering stellar vocals with what could have otherwise been a DJ set. It turned the dance party into a show worth watching. And neither is hard on the eyes. Whether or not you’re familiar with Flight Facilities’ music, their way around a single (or an entire album of them) is uncanny. The same holds true for their live show.

Flight Facilities continue on their North American tour this spring and Down to Earth is available now.

Local openers Beat Connection spurred the crowd into an anticipatory frenzy with their unique blend of electronic indie pop. With a bit of island-style rhythm (Was that a steel drum?) thrown in for good measure, their strong, layered beats and poppy yet emotive vocals are the good kind of funky.

Review by Stephanie Dore
Photos by Sunny Martini

Flight Facilities
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01_flightfacilities_17Beat Connection
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