Live Recap: Perfume Genius with Urika’s Bedroom at The Vic Theatre
Perfume Genius, the musical project of Michael Alden Hadreas, returned to Chicago on June 17th to play a stunning show at The Vic Theatre in honor of his new album Glory.
The night opened with Urika’s Bedroom performing a set that felt like stepping into a hazy, dreamy soundscape. Their music was delicate and ethereal, floating across the room in soft, shimmering layers. The light show added a subtle glow to their already atmospheric sound, making the room feel intimate and otherworldly — a beautiful, quiet beginning to the night.
Then came Perfume Genius, who transformed the stage into a strange, visceral, exhilarating performance space. From the start, the stage was framed by long, orange cords curled around like tendrils, hinting at the chaos to come. The set moved fluidly between tender, beautiful moments — like a lullaby rendition of “Me & Angel”, or a haunting cover of “Kanga Roo” by Big Star — to physical, kinetic displays that felt part modern dance, part raw impulse. During “It’s a Mirror,” Hadreas jumped on an exercise ball mid-song; in “No Front Teeth,” he spun wildly in a chair. At one point, during “Clean Heart,” he gathered the stage cables around himself, sat in a chair, and reached for the ball with his legs in a strange, tender moment of theatricality.
The choreography was wild and magnetic — moves like The Matrix during “Otherside”, chair dancing, leaping to the rail, then bouncing across the stage. The lighting played its part too: some songs like “Describe” glowed in eerie red, while others kept the singer backlit by towering, blinding lights, with smoke adding to the atmosphere. Perfume Genius created a show that felt entirely alive, unpredictable, and deeply human.
Check out photos of the evening below and see where you can catch the tour next here.
