Last year was a busy one for Baltimore, Maryland duo Beach House. From playing Coachella to opening for bands such as Grizzly Bear and Vampire Weekend–and even playing dates in Europe–Beach House have not stopped touring since the release of  their third album, Teen Dream, a little over a year ago. They have come full circle in 2011, with sold-out dates on their headlining tour.

Their San Francisco Fillmore show last Friday was my third time seeing them, and had to be my favorite. It feels as if their live show has evolved even within the span of six months (my first time seeing them was in Rome, Italy in July of last year). Whereas last summer their live sound was not a huge departure from the album versions of the tracks, last Friday Beach House sounded fresh, with most songs having fully audible changes that fitted the live renditions of the tracks beautifully and made the show into a perfectly balanced one, with half the tracks being haunting dream pop ballads and the other half danceable and fun crowd favorites. Listening to their albums, one might not label them as a “danceable” band, but the energy they put into songs such as the night’s closer, “10 Mile Stereo” got the crowd moving with its epic crescendos and drum beat. They even showcased a new track, which showed great promise in the band’s future.

When I saw them in July in Italy, the venue was tiny, cramped, and breathing was impossible as it was unbearably hot. Victoria Legrand, who fronts Beach House with her vocals and keyboards, kept buttoning up her sweater–an example of her dedication to appearance and aesthetic– despite her repeated comments sympathizing with the sweat-drenched crowd. Victoria’s style is an integral part of the band’s aura and artistic sensibility.

My second time seeing them was at their Greek Theater show in September, opening for Vampire Weekend. They had updated their visuals, with a black background punctuated by glowing “stars” with a few illuminated pyramid-like shapes in front of it. Their sound filled Berkeley’s outdoor venue nicely and it was clear that the audience enjoyed the opening act, even if most of crowd was there for the headlining Vampire Weekend. The larger venue seemed to fit them well, yet sitting up on the amphitheater steps, I yearned to get closer to the stage.

At the Fillmore, Victoria lit up the stage with her vocals and keyboards, guitarist Alex Scally was spot-on, and their touring drummer offered up solid beats without overpowering the other musicians. Beach House’s music is all about the balance of instruments and vocals, and the Fillmore was a great venue acoustically to showcase this. Of course, they played all their best-known songs, such as “Zebra” and “Norway” and also threw in older tracks like “Gila.” Victoria only interrupted the set a couple times to thank the crowd and show her appreciation for the venue and the City, proving that the band was there to perform, not chat (as other bands seem to do too much these days).

Openers Papercuts (San Francisco natives) also delivered a solid performance, though their catchy indie pop didn’t seem to be enough to capture the crowd’s attention–everyone seems to be chatting away while the band played. It was only for their best-known song, “Future Primitive” that the crowd truly connected to the performers. Overall though, the band was a good pick for an opener and delivered a great set.

The Fillmore is the perfect-sized venue to see a band like Beach House. It is not a cramped, hot, and humid tiny venue, nor is it as large as an amphitheater. I have never been disappointed by a show here. If you ever stop by, remember to pick up a free apple before you go out to the dancefloor, and a free poster (only for sold out shows) on your way out. Beach House made a rainy San Francisco night into a fun, relaxing one and the Fillmore certainly played a great role in making the night one to never forget. The Fillmore was spacious enough to house Beach House’s atmospheric sound, yet small enough to let the audience experience an intimate enough show that captured the haunting beauty of Beach House’s music.

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