Perfume Genius Brings ‘Glory’ to Homer

On a warm, cloudy evening, concertgoers from all over central New York made their way to Homer to see Michael Hadreas and Alan Wyffels walk onto the stage with their shimmering performances of the emotional songs that make up the track list of Glory.

On Thursday, Hadreas, the critically acclaimed indie singer-songwriter known as Perfume Genius, stopped in Homer, for the final leg of his “Duo” tour. The nine-stop tour consisted of stripped-back performances of Perfume Genius’ latest album Glory, alongside his partner Wyffels, who co-wrote the 2025 LP. 

The event got off to a cozy start that set the vibe for the rest of the night as patrons gathered in Dasher’s Corner Pub, a social space connected to the venue. As the clock approached 8 p.m., workers at the Center for the Arts of Homer welcomed the attendees to find their seats. Once seated, attendees prepared to watch the opener, indie artist Dan English, whose set consisted of tunes off his LP Sky Record.

English came out alongside Madeline Leshner, his musical partner for the night. Their set featured English’s dreamy, melodic songs featuring pedaled-out guitar riffs, soft-sung vocals and occasional notes from a flute played by Leshner. The eclectic combination of musical elements made for strong renditions of songs such as “Across My Jaw,” setting the tone for the intimate feel that would define the rest of the show.

For English, the opportunity to tour with Perfume Genius was a career-invigorating one. 

“It is touching that someone so accomplished and amazing as an artist is a fan of mine, because I’m just kind of getting going,” English said after his set. “It feels like gas in the tank, in a very life-affirming way, and we get along really well so that’s amazing.” 

Following the opening performance, Hadreas and Wyffels walked out onto the stage to a wave of applause from the crowd before taking a seat, back-to-back, at their respective keyboard setups. What followed was an hour-long exercise in musical transcendence, with the musicians and concertgoers alike losing themselves in the pared-down versions of the Glory tracks.

Photo by Philip Martins

Dan English opens for Perfume Genius alongside musical partner, Madeline Leshner.

The microphone stand in front of Hadreas shimmered with reflections of the show’s saturated lighting setup as his face strained with the effort to deliver heartfelt, showstopping vocal performances. All the while, Wyffels didn’t miss a single beat on the keyboard, weaving his playing seamlessly with Hadreas’ singing. Aside from the employment of a drum machine on one song, the entirety of the set consisted solely of the duo’s keyboard play and vocals.

Perfume Genius brought down the house all night with live renditions of songs such as the somber and cathartic “No Front Teeth.” Hadreas gave his all to each song, spinning around the stage, stamping his feet and pausing during instrumental breaks that saw his vocals envelop the room.

For longtime fans like Zuzu Thompson, who drove from Ithaca to see the concert with a friend, the performances more than met expectations.

“I went through a horrible breakup with somebody last year, and I introduced him to some of Perfume Genius’ music, so this is going to be a very emotional show for me,” Thompson said. “His music just makes me cry sometimes. He’s really tapped into the spirit.”

Spiritual connection was indeed present and palpable throughout the show, a sentiment that manifested itself fully as Hadreas and Wyffels sat side by side at the same keyboard for the show’s closer, “Learning.” Deep musical connection was on full display as the two played the set out perfectly.

Emotion peaked as Hadreas sang to the crowd, “But you will learn to mind me and you will learn to survive me,” marking the end of a night in Homer full of love, release and masterful music.