Los Angeles-based alternative-pop band LANY brought the West Coast to D.C. for a night with their performance at the 9:30 Club on Monday. The trio, made up of singer Paul Klein, Jake Goss and Les Priest, stopped by the capital while on tour to promote their fourth EP, kinda.
Although they have yet to release a full length album, the group already has a set of highly devoted fans. A small crowd had already formed in front of the stage as soon as the doors opened, two and a half hours before the band was set to come on.
Opening for LANY was Transviolet, another alternative-pop band also hailing from Los Angeles. Singer Sarah McTaggart’s infectious vocals and bleach-blonde locks lit up the stage both figuratively and literally. McTaggart danced around the stage, bringing energy to the crowd throughout Transviolet’s set, but it was the EDM vibes of the group’s latest single, “Future,” that really got the crowd moving.
Shortly after Transviolet’s set, the venue lights dimmed and a video of Whitney Houston singing the National Anthem began to play. Three silhouettes appeared in front of a set of giant LCD screens, prompting a roar of screams — LANY had taken the stage.
The group opened with “4Ever!” off of their second EP, I Loved You. The set was a mix of songs from the four EPs LANY has released over the past two years.
The group’s West Coast vibes, which stem from their synth-heavy, R&B-pop sound and lyrics all about the Southern California lifestyle carried over into their live show. LCD screens backing the stage were lit up with images of ocean waves and the shoreline at sunset.
Despite having what he called on Twitter “the worst cold ever,” singer Paul Klein’s signature soothing vocals were on point from the first song to the last. Klein really showcased his talent while performing the ballad “Someone Else,” during which a group of grown men in the audience could be heard belting along.
The band left the stage after a stripped-down, piano version of “current location.” After a minute or so of deafening screams from the crowd, LANY came back for an encore, performing “Walk Away” and crowd favorite, “ILYSB.”
If the night proved one thing, it was the devotion that LANY fans, no matter their age, feel toward the band. From the high schoolers holding up roses in the front row to the men by the bar who shouted “We love you so bad!” in between songs, everyone in the room was smiling and singing the whole night long.
Featured Photo Credit: Paul Klein performs at the 9:30 Club on Monday, Oct. 24, 2016. (Casey Tomchek/Freelance Photographer)
Casey Tomchek is a sophomore journalism and English double major and can be reached at ctomchek1@gmail.com.
