It’s been nearly three years, but The Helio Sequence made it back to Kansas City.

The Portland-based duo brought their luscious sounds to recordBar in support of their self-titled album released just last month. Brandon Summers’ smooth vocals and gorgeous guitar skills did not disappoint as he played several songs off the new album as well as some of the band’s previous hits (including a couple off the amazingly well-done Negotiations). His falsettos made the audience feel oh-so-fine, but Summers could get them worked up with a few raging harmonica solos. Benjamin Weikel is notoriously one of the funnest drummers to watch, constantly keeping time with his mouth wide open and a wild, animated look in his eye. If his live presence doesn’t hypnotize you, his steady beats (lush with momentum) will.

Fans of The Helio Sequence got an extra little perk on this tour. The band recorded more than two dozen songs, so any tracks that didn’t make it onto their recent release were included on a rare disk only available to fans on this tour. Together, Summers and Weikel have discovered the formula that works for fans of their music, and this latest set of songs amplifies that revelation with expert calculation.

The Hleio Sequence brought along fellow Portlanders Lost Lander, a band that specializes in that rich layering, synth-filled, easy-on-the-ears indie pop sound that Kansas City seems to take to so well.

Words and photos by Fally Afani