By Casey Tomchek
LA-based pop band LANY stopped by Baltimore May 14 to play a show at the Baltimore Soundstage. The trio are currently on tour to promote their debut self-titled album, LANY, which is set to release June 3.
Despite the fact that they have yet to release a full length LP, LANY already has an impressively devout set of fans. At one point in the show, singer Paul Klein reached into the audience to grab a bright red piece of cloth from the audience. Spreading it open, he revealed a flag which read “LANY BALTIMORE” and had been signed with messages from a group of local fans.
Kids lining the front row of the crowd were all holding roses, which they threw onstage in unison around the midpoint of the show (Klein had to stifle laughter as one poorly aimed flower hit him square in the face). The roses have become a symbol for the band, with one appearing on the cover of their LP, and it’s become a tradition for LANY fans to bring them to every show.
As Klein danced around the stage with roses lining his feet, I started to wonder if this is what the song title “Flowers on the Floor,” which appears on the tracklist of their upcoming album, is alluding to.
The setlist primarily consisted of songs off of their previous EPs, with several new ones thrown in- and from the way the crowd sang along to every word, you’d never be able to tell the difference.
As usual, LANY put on a great show. There was a bit less production than their last tour; gone were the LCD screens with images of ocean waves, and there was no encore this time. Instead, the crowd experienced something more intimate, with just the three men, Klein, Les Priest and Jake Goss, onstage, uninterrupted for about an hour-long set.
Going for a more low-key feel seemed like the perfect choice, as it might be the last chance to experience LANY on such an intimate level. The band just performed on Late Night with Seth Meyers, and following the upcoming release of their album, it’s tough to say if the well-kept secret that is LANY will stay a secret much longer.
Opening for LANY was 19-year-old Canadian singer Goody Grace. With his singer-songwriter style and deep vocals that crooned even as he spoke, Grace was easy to enjoy.
Featured Photo Credit: Singer Paul Klein of LANY performs at the Baltimore Soundstage on May 14, 2017. (Casey Tomchek/ Freelance Photographer)
