La Femme is Très Chic at Levitation

The merciless sun had finally set, Levitation’s outdoor stage was packed, and La Femme was primed to perform. Squinting through the clouds of cigarette smoke and kicked-up dust, the same whisper of excitement could be caught on each face. That hum of anticipation grew as each member of the French band took the stage. Dressed like campy members of an early 70s rock band, La Femme came out with a palpable energy and maintained it for the duration of their 40-minute set.

Marlon Magnée, one of the group’s two founding members, floated around the stage from keyboard to tambourine to vocals alone. Fanny Luzignant was also a treat to watch in her sky blue mod dress and white gogo boots. Her voice floated right across, founding member number two, Sacha Got’s guitar. On the topic of Got, his guitar brought the surf rock edge we know and love from La Femme.

With five members on stage, it was hard to choose who to look at. When in doubt, it was gratifying to follow one of the two tambourines that got passed around through the set. God bless the French for taking us on an angelic psych pop journey, with electronic keyboard riffs to boot. Each track was a hypnotic and funky time, but the subtle showstoppers had to be “La femme ressort” and “Sur la planche 2013,” two surreal songs off of their 2013 album, Psycho Tropical Berlin. Toward the end of the set, Magnée geared up for his grand finale with a cigarette and a vocal break at his keyboard. The night ended with “Tatiana,” the chaotic track about a sensual New York nightclub.

Magnée, reinvigorated for his final hoorah, stubbed his cigarette and picked his keyboard right off of its stand. There was nothing to do but watch as he toted the keyboard around like a trophy, but not much else could have been expected from a band that subverted expectations since their inception. La Femme put on one of those performances that are thought about for years to come; their energy, charisma, and mastery over their sound seduced even those who had never heard their name before into their orbit. There’s now one more thing to be thankful to the French for: fries, berets and, of course, La Femme.