Fans bearing malt liquor hidden in brown paper bags stormed the basement stairs around 10 p.m. to catch the opening of Fleet Foxes’ set at the First Unitarian Church. A more suitable choice of beverage for the event would have been Gatorade due to the near-boiling temperatures inside. The sold-out crowd filtered in and out of the venue before and during the set to battle the likeliness of heat stroke and dehydration. Thankfully, the hell pit—ironic, considering it’s a church basement—failed to take anything away from Fleet Foxes’ divine onstage display.

As the lights dimmed, the Seattle indie-folk quintet belted the heavenly harmonies from the title track of the Sun Giant EP, followed by “Sun It Rises,” a boozy Americana anthem that might inspire the Black Keys to tie one on. Early in the set, many questions were answered regarding whether or not the Fleet Foxes could replicate the vocal hymns heard on this year’s Sun Giant and self-titled full-length. The gang vocals that echoed through the muggy church basement sounded precise, powerful and omniscient—eerie, considering the setting and how similar the sounds resembled that of a church choir.

“I know this sounds crazy, but can someone turn that fan off?” asked guitarist Casey Wescott, wiping a sweaty forehead and eyeing a dangerously wobbling fan hanging from the basement ceiling. The opening sing-along lyrics to crowd favorite “White Winter Hymnal” was the only harmony everyone in the sticky, sauna-like sweat box sang along to. Surprisingly, the challenging vocal number was sung to perfection and sounded as crisp and nostalgic as a Lennon-McCartney or Beach Boys harmony. Fleet Foxes’ calm, eclectic sound is nothing to yawn about. Despite the heat, the audience was engaged and several fans still worked the dance floor to “Your Protector” and “English House.” The band took a well-deserved break, minus lead singer Robin Pecknold, who ignited the crowd into a clapping frenzy as he sang the opening lyrics to “Oliver James,” which would turn out to be the climax of Fleet Foxes’ stellar performance. The band wrapped up its set with “Tiger Mountain Pleasant Song.”

While many have compared Fleet Foxes to the likes of Grizzly Bear and even David Crosby, the band has a unique, mystical sound. Album reviews and Internet hype have earned Fleet Foxes a reputation, and after seeing their performance, it’s safe to believe.

—John Stish