Perfume Genius playing two nights at the Independent this week

(photo:Inez and Vinoodh)

On the heels of his fourth album release, Mike Hadreas will return to San Francisco to grace the Independent with another sold out booking, performing as
Perfume Genius for two consecutive nights on July 18 and 19. Brooklyn R&B poet serpentwithfeet will provide support for both shows.

While previous Perfume Genius albums have focused heavily on the pains of battling internal demons of addiction and discrimination, No Shape (available now on Matador Records) illustrates Hadreas’ quest towards becoming a “ball of light just floating around” as opposed to “just being better.” Following a period of sobriety alongside his partner Alan Wyffels, a keyboardist for the band, Hadreas is here to explore the next chapter in his life. “How long must we live right / before we don’t even have to try?” he sings on “Valley.” Read more about his journey in an interview with the Fader’s Alex Frank.

Perfume Genius recently performed two of the album’s strongest pieces, “Valley” and “Slip Away,” during a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR, concluding the set with “Normal Song” from 2012’s Put Your Back N To It. Watch the intimate concert here for a small taste of the emotional intensity we’ve come to expect from Perfume Genius’ increasingly confident performances.

Hadreas has been known to balance the intensity of his music by maintaining a humorous Twitter account. For Harry Potter’s 20th anniversary, he took on the role of “Indie Sorting Hat,” taking suggestions from fans to sort fellow musicians into the various Hogwarts houses. Expect to experience a full spectrum of emotion during Perfume Genius’ two-night tenure.