Faux Real live review: Shattering Expectations with Punk-Pop Perfection

December 19, 2024 Zoe Orion 0 Comments 3 min read

Faux Real put on a show so unforgettable, I just had to see it twice. I saw them in Toronto in September, and their end-of-November Berlin show unleashed the same exhilarating energy – lifting spirits and shocking all attendees.

Much like their name, Faux Real is a combination of opposites from which emerges something unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I’ll describe them here as I did to my friends: they’re like if a boy band and a punk band had a beautiful baby.

Franco-American brothers Virgil and Elliott Arndt have classic pop choreography, synchronized moves that range from simple steps to jaw-dropping acrobatic antics. The hip-shaking and high kicks are executed while performing karaoke-style to some of the most memorable hooks of the year, courtesy of their iconic debut album, Faux Ever.

The sound is glamorous, but the brothers bring a sincere punk energy. A Faux Real show is raw and playful, campy and chaotic. It’s fantastically physical, more reckless freedom than grace. They have matching fierce faces and white alternative-style outfits notable for barefoot toe shoes, thick silver lock necklaces, and white crop tops that come off halfway through the show.

Faux Real are anarchic in how they use the stage. Except for a sole flute solo, played beautifully by Elliot during Boss Sweet, there are no instruments to be seen. As for lighting production, they make the most of one big handheld LED light for dramatic effect. It’s a deliberate DIY ethos that makes the most of very little, to great artistic effect.

Faux Real are anarchic in how they use the venue, too – it doesn’t even take one full song for them to end up in the crowd. From then on, you never know when they will leap off the stage next, destroying the hierarchy of performers and audience to create one big dance floor.

Beyond punk aesthetic is a genuine political backbone. In Toronto, a performance of United Snakes of America was preluded with a message of support for Palestine. And before playing Rent Free, Virgil says, “You have to kill the landlord in your mind.” I was shocked into laughing since he said it through an auto-tuned mic, but as with a lot of Faux Real’s work, there was a playful wisdom in his words.

It all comes to a head with Kindred Spirit, a staple song at Faux Real shows. The brothers immerse themselves fully into the crowd, inviting all to gather into a circle around them. Then comes two requests. One, that the venue turns off all the lights. Two, that everyone turns on their phone flashlights. They then put all remaining energy into jumping, dancing, standing on each other’s backs, and singing their ode to “how deep connection to the Earth is integral to welcoming your authentic self into the world.” It’s messy, bold, playful abandon. They end the show sweaty and shirtless, their toe-shoe-adorned feet leaving wet footprints on the floor as they walk away.

If you want to feel their infectious one-of-a-kind energy yourself, don’t miss out on their upcoming North American and European tour dates. Find tickets and dates here.