Though LANY is more than halfway through their gg bb xx tour, they delivered night-one energy to an equally exuberant crowd of 5,000 in Dallas, Texas on Thursday night.
The lights dimmed, The Pavillion at Toyota Music Factory was filled with pink smoke, and the crowd roared as alt-pop band, LANY, took the stage with “get away,” the first track off their latest album. They soon followed with “Thick and Thin,” then “Super Far,” a fan favorite which had the crowd jumping from the very first, very identifiable synthesized note. After the first few songs, the crowd was buzzing, ready for what LANY provides best: songs about breakups, makeups, exes, and budding romance that you can dance to.
Midway through the set, the “Cowboy in LA” lead singer Paul Klein expressed his affinity for Texas and appreciation for his roots – his show fit featured a Dallas Cowboys t-shirt and a Sharpie tattoo, “TEXAS 4EVER” written on the back of his hand. Klein noted that the band had been looking forward to performing for Dallas, and reassured the crowd that they were exceeding high expectations. The Oklahoma native shared a hopeful sentiment from the band’s early years – that maybe one day they’d be able to play a small stage at the Austin-based SXSW Festival. As Klein looked far back into the crowd, he expressed his amazement that now, years later, they are filling large venues here in Texas like The Pavillion. “We’ve even got people watching from way back there in the grass!”
Klein’s interactions with the audience did not stop there. He immersed himself in the crowd and the venue, at one point taking a lap around the room to sing to his fans seated further back.
Despite being taxed with vocal strain on tour, Klein gave a strong performance with impressive range and control throughout the set, which made for one heck of a show. The night came to a euphoric close when the band crooned their painfully sweet, most notable hit, “ILYSB”. Friends were hoisted up on shoulders, lovers were dancing, and the crowd sang and swayed in unison belting the words displayed upon the stage screen, “OH MY HEART HURTS SO GOOD / I LOVE YOU BABE / SO BAD.”
Photos by Natalie Perez
