LANY took the stage at Brazos Hall on night one of South By Southwest in Austin, Texas on March 17th, 2015. The night was hosted by Yahoo featuring multiple showcases with LANY being act 4 of 5 for the night. The venue itself was modern containing a wide-open room with wood floors, brick walls, large screens around the edges, and an elevated stage with elaborate lighting.
The trio consists of Paul on lead vocals and keys, Les on synthesizers and background vocals, and Jake on drums. The 3 guys create an electronic pop sound with some R&B and 80’s mixed in. Their band name plays on the idea of them attempting to make music together while being spread out between Los Angeles and New York (LANY) when they first started as a band. While they initially gained popularity through producing and spreading their own music through social media outlets, they have since been highlighted by industries like Soundcloud, Hollister, and Yahoo. One of their songs, ILYSB, recently achieved platinum status on Spotify.
The room at Brazos Hall was dark with stage lights flashing all around creating an atmosphere for dancing and letting all of life’s worries escape. Paul’s model looks and dance moves enabled him to engage the audience into grooving to the music as well. Though only a trio, their sound easily filled the room and their energy on stage was contagious. Jake was very solid on the drums, adding creativity into his beats with some electronic sounds as well. Les filled things out well with synthesizers and vocals, providing depth and interjecting sounds from various genres and eras. LANY’s song lyrics likely appeal to a teenage or early 20’s crowd mentioning summer flings, heartbreak, and the freedoms of young life. Like their name, many of their songs are also acronyms such as ILYSB, OMG, and BRB, which again is trendy among a younger audience. However, their sampling from some 80’s music led people of all ages to feel drawn to their sound.
While the night was just a brief showcase, this is definitely a band to watch out for as they are quickly making their rise to fame.
– Elise Mullins.