Perfume Genius Brings Glory to the Fillmore

Perfume Genius brought his Glory tour to the Fillmore in San Francisco on May 13, performing a focused and emotionally charged set that balanced vulnerability with precision. Mike Hadreas led the audience through a 15-song show that showcased the new album while still leaving room for a few fan favorites.

The night opened with “In a Row,” followed by “It’s a Mirror” and “Clean Heart.” These early tracks established a deliberate, atmospheric pace. Much of Glory thrives in tension and texture, and live, that translated into long stretches of calibrated lighting, layered instrumentals, and Hadreas’s voice moving between whisper and falsetto. Songs like “No Front Teeth” and “Left for Tomorrow” leaned into distortion and unease, while “Me & Angel” and “Valley” offered more melodic, introspective moments.

Midway through the set, “Slip Away” and “On the Floor” lifted the energy without breaking the mood. “Otherside”, was one of the most affecting points in the night—quiet, stripped down, and completely still.

The final third of the show brought more movement and tension. “Capezio” and “My Body” built a slow, steady momentum. He closed with “Queen,” which drew the loudest response of the night. The song’s boldness and defiance remain intact nearly a decade after its release, and it served as a fitting climax to a performance built on subtle shifts and emotional weight.

Hadreas kept his stage presence intentional and tightly focused. There was mild banter, but his performance was far from static. His signature movements - fluid, sharp, and often expressive in ways that bordered on dance - were a core part of the show’s emotional language. Combined with minimal but striking lighting, they gave the performance a physical intensity that matched the music’s shifts in mood. The result was a set that felt cohesive and carefully constructed, where every element, from pacing to movement, worked together to hold the audience in his world. Rather than chasing spectacle, Perfume Genius delivered something more intimate and exacting, but just as powerful.