The Verse’s Alex Berdugo tells us what he thought of LANY’s performance at Concorde 2 on 4th December 2017
LANY are an indie-pop three-piece that have taken the genre and made it their own. Electronic beats meet smooth vocal melodies and a thumping drum rhythm. Their recently released debut album was surrounded by buzz – the band could clearly deliver in the studio. The question was then, could Paul Klein, Jake Goss and Les Priest capture that same feeling live?
The stage production that LANY brought with them was quite the spectacle. In a 1975-esque fashion, they stood in front of panels of intense coloured light and were transformed into abstract silhouettes in the more ambient songs. Klein’s energy was impossibly contagious, his smile and movement enough to get every crowd member dancing and singing along. Klein had a look that was the definition of ‘cool long-haired musician from L.A’ and his vocals truly shone. Drummer Goss and keyboard player Priest both took a back seat in the corners of the stage, allowing them to focus on their instruments.
The band was a marvel, exquisitely executing song after song. Klein’s guitar work gave us the occasional reverb-drenched solo and ethereal chord, while Goss and Priest lay down an unrelenting and powerful foundation for each track. This, in combination with the atmospheric light show, created a vibe felt by everyone in the room.
While one may take their album as a record to put on while relaxing, LANY’s songs have a completely different effect live. The sheer energy in the air took me back – the people around me were losing themselves in the music. LANY hit the sweet spot of making a song that people can people can vibe to at home, and burn a lot of calories dancing to live. Their sound is unique and endearing, making the future of the band look very promising indeed.
Towards the end of the set, the lights went down and Klein took centre stage at his keyboard. His solo performance was dreamlike, doing a cover of popular Harry Styles song Sign Of The Times. The audience was loving every moment, singing so loudly that Klein was almost entirely drowned out. It was a simple, but an astonishing segment of the gig that demonstrated LANY’s ability to truly own the stage they are on.
The standout performance of the night had to be like you lots. It was a clear favourite amongst the fans, and we didn’t stop dancing for one moment. Another highlight was yea, babe, no way. This was the song that initially introduced me to LANY, so it was a pleasure to see them perform it and put all they had into taking to the next level live.
LANY at Concorde 2 was a rare gig that had a certain magic about it. The music the band has produced has been consistently solid and their live show leaves you wanting more. That is the sign of a band that has plenty more in its tank.
