The American trio's debut Brighton show, with high energy from both the band and the crowd, was undeniably one to remember.
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Californian trio LANY released their first EP in 2014, and their debut album only half a year ago but, if you judged by the size of the queue outside Brighton’s Concorde 2 on Monday, you would be easily forgiven for thinking they had been round a whole lot longer.
This was LANY’s opening night of their UK tour, and their first show in Brighton since their formation three years ago. People had clearly been waiting for them, and expectations were high – the venue was sold out, and the mile of keen fans outside of the seaside venue, all fully decked out in original merchandise from the band’s first tour, reminded me of obsessive boyband followers. Clearly LANY’s catalogue of upbeat electropop tracks telling tales of romance, heartbreak and unrequited love have struck a chord with many.
The opening act came in the form of four-piece band, Colouring, originally from London. They previously supported The 1975 on their North American tour and their track, ‘In Motion’, premiered on Radio 1 last year, so they were more than capable of providing a very enjoyable set. Their music was heavy on the synths, and, style-wise, their fast tempo tracks were reminiscent of the likes of Will Joseph Cook, while their more sombre songs clearly drew influence from Bon Iver. Their song ‘Heathen’ seemed to stir some recognition in the crowd and overall their performance was sure to secure them some new fans.
After Colouring left the stage, LANY’s set began – a recorded female voice stated: “You will never forget the next eighty minutes” – no pressure then – “this is LANY.” The band sprinted onto the stage, lead vocalist Paul Klein following after his bandmates Jake Goss and Les Priest, and showcasing a ridiculous level of energy and enthusiasm which he was somehow able to retain for their entire set. Opening with ‘Dumb Stuff’, the first song on their self-titled album, the screaming of their boyband-like fans didn’t let up for a single moment during the gig.
Much to the delight of the crowd, they played a perfect mixture of songs from their previous four EPs and from the debut album. Klein declared, “Let’s dance, I know it’s a Monday,” which was especially relevant considering it was keyboardist/guitarist Les’ birthday, and it’s safe to say that the audience followed orders – with Klein leading much of the dancing himself. Their performance of ‘Good Girls’ was particularly well received, which was clearly anticipated, as it featured live video footage of the crowd on the three stage screens set up behind the trio. Although the majority of LANY’s tracks can be said to be upbeat in tone, they do have some slower ones, like ‘It Was Love’, which provided both the audience and Klein with a much needed rest amidst all of the jumping around. Their encore consisted of ‘Super Far’ and ‘ILYSB’, along with what might be viewed as a surprising interjection between the two songs -‘Parents’, a recording of a voicemail left by drummer Jake’s mother proclaiming her love for his new tattoo. The combination of the ridiculously positive crowd response, well thought out visuals, and LANY’s obvious enthusiasm for being back on tour in the UK made the evening an undeniably momentous one for many.
The remaining tickets for the rest of LANY’s UK tour dates are available here. Watch their latest music video below:
