Last Thursday, Francis Farewell Starlite and his backing band, collectively known as Francis and the Lights, took the stage at Bowery Ballroom for the final stop of their tour. While they were accompanied by Drake and K-Os on most stops of the 27-city excursion, Penguin Prison stepped up to the plate as the show openers, a role that they fulfilled beautifully. Having never heard their music before, we were pleasantly surprised by their funky bass lines, laced with synth pop keys and smooth vocals. The four-piece band (complete with a pink-stringged electric bass) played for approximately 45 minutes, surprisingly long given that they’ve only officially released two songs in the US.

Francis and the Lights, who released their second album last month, played a well-balanced set that included tracks from across their catalog. Francis demonstrated that the talent and ability he exhibits in his recordings fully translates to the stage, while tweaking each song so that we weren’t just hearing the album cuts that we’re used to. With spontaneous dance breaks that delighted the audience, Francis’ indelible charisma was difficult to capture on camera. Make no mistake – this is a solo act backed by a band, with Francis serving as lead singer, piano player and conductor. His persona on stage exuded a maniacal genius and a perfectionist to the core.

If you’re a fan of Francis and the Lights, then you are almost sure to enjoy Penguin Prison (and vice versa), which is what made their pairing so perfect. Both bands have a timeless quality to their music that could be successful whether it was released last year or last decade, a feat that not all musicians can achieve. Much of the music we’ve been hearing lately is very “now” – a product of our generation that our parents would probably describe as “noise”. Not to say we don’t like it, it was just refreshing to watch two acts that repackage classic elements of music into new and original creations.

CLICK HERE for photos of the evening, and be sure to check out Francis and the Lights’ latest effort, It’ll Be Better on iTunes. After the jump, watch their latest video for “Darling, It’s Alright”