Photo by Tobias Wang (2015)
Los-Angeles-based pop trio, LANY performed a sold-out show on October 30 at Toronto’s Mod Club Theatre in support of their first headlining tour, The Kinda Tour. LANY which consists of Paul Klein, Leslie Priest, and Jake Goss are quickly on the rise thanks to their glossy pop meets R&B tracks.
Without even putting out a full album, the group’s popularity has continued to grow within a year. After posting a couple of tracks to Soundcloud, the group started building a fan based through social media. Their killer combination of ’80s pop beats, R&B infused vocals, and sentimental lyrics, the buzz surrounding the band started to grow. In 2015, the released of their EPs, I Loved You and Make Out was not only popular amongst their fans but landed them a contract with Polydor Records.
LANY has opened for acts like Troye Sivan and Halsey; and graced the pages of magazines such as Nylon and Wonderland. Songs like “Where the Hell Are My Friends” and “ILYSB” immediately became fan-favorites at shows, while Klein model-like feature made him an indie heartthrob. In the summer, LANY released a new EP called Kinda, which created much excitement for their forthcoming tour.
Since the show was on the eve of Halloween, everyone sported their best spooky outfits. The crowd mixed and mingled while the music from Michael Jacksons’ Thriller album was on rotation. On the stage, the words “Love and respect to the 6” appeared on the large screens creating more anticipation for LANY’s arrival.
The lights were dim and a glow of pink splashed across the screens as the trio opened with “4Ever!” followed by their newest single “Yea, Babe, No Way”. It was an energetic start to what was bound to be a phenomenal show. The flashing lights, the electric sound, and the nostalgic background clips created an atmosphere for good vibes. Although sampling sounds from a ‘80s pop era, their catchy lyrics can attract people of all ages.
It didn’t take long for the sing-alongs to begin as Klein enabled the crowd to get into the groove. The front man is a natural performer who knows how to work a room. Klein sang with such unconcealed passion which was heard in LANY’s slower songs such as “Someone Else” and “BRB”. Although Goss and Priest are in the background, their presence is very much felt.
Priest’s synths and Goss drum skills contributed to the catchiness of their songs, and ties perfectly with Klein’s soaring guitar riffs. The band has a great connection and their collective flow made for a dance-worthy show.
‘This is a really cool experience for us’ said Klein as he talked about how the band is still trying to process the fact they are now headliners. “To know you guys spent $20 to be here, while you could be spending your Halloween weekend doing something else, means a lot to us.” Towards the end, they performed more popular hits from their collection which included “Pink Skies”, “You Are Fire” and “Current Location”. For their encore, they ended with their most recognizable song “ILYSB”.
