REVIEW: LANY @ MGM 4/11
Photo by Courtney Thomassen
Review by Hannah Martin
LANY, BLYSB. (Boston Loves You So Bad).
Attending LANY’s electrifying performance at the MGM Music Hall felt akin to floating on a fluffy white cloud adorned with flower petals, surrounded by all your loved ones (yes, even they were part of this imaginary celestial gathering).
LANY, a pop group led by vocalist Paul Klein, came to Boston again last Thursday night. After eager fans created an energetic atmosphere of immense anticipation, the curtain fell, and the set began with the fitting title “you!” as Klein ran around the stage and talked to the crowd directly. Immediately, excitement and joy filled the venue as concertgoers swayed along to the music and sang along to the lyrics “I’m nothing without you” to one another.
Klein began to accept bouquet after bouquet, usually roses, which became a trend throughout the night. After receiving and thanking the crowd for each flower, Klein would use it as a prop and casually throw the flowers around, creating a colorful stage to dance around. Roses have become a symbol for the group after their release, “Flowers On The Floor,” which matches the vibe their performance produced. Accepting flowers was not the only interaction with fans, as Klein interacted exceptionally with the crowd. There were many instances of dancing, pointing, videotaping, and seamlessly embedding “Boston” within the lyrics of songs, and he even jumped into the crowd during the final song.
Although Klein holds an undeniable stage presence and charisma that encapsulated everyone in attendance, the screen behind the band matched the aesthetic of the concert perfectly. The screen displayed a beautiful sunrise sky during “somewhere,” a slower, melodic song, and was replaced by fiery lyrics of the fast-paced, explicit, revenge-oriented song “Congrats.” Later in the night, the screen showed a green eye during “pink skies” and a starry, whimsical night sky during the hit “Alonica.”
The concert centered around the experience of the concertgoers. There was always a new prop, whether a pink cowboy hat while Klein sang “cowboy in LA,” purposefully pointing out a lack of western aesthetic in Boston, or a disco ball hanging from the stage. Early in the show, a collection of beach balls was dropped on the crowd, resulting in fans gleefully hitting them back and forth, often accompanied by an “I hit it” comment immediately afterward. Again, this indeed shows Klein’s impressive crowd work throughout the show. Each moment was meticulously crafted to enhance the audience’s experience, from pink cowboy hats to cascading beach balls, all masterfully orchestrated by Klein’s crowd work.
The entire performance buzzed with excitement, but the true showstopper of the night was LANY’s encore. Klein and bandmates walked off stage for approximately two minutes before bouncing back on, beginning the set for the hit song “ILYSB.” The crowd started screaming the lyrics, clearly expecting this return. Beach balls continuously floated around the room, and the energy was just beginning to pick back up. After “ILYSB,” there was an immediate transition to “XXL,” an upbeat pop number that was undoubtedly a fan favorite. Klein encouraged fans to climb onto one another’s shoulders, and soon, people were propped up all around the venue. The screen began showing happy fans waving and singing along to the lyrics, creating a community amongst the crowd. Just as concertgoers thought the show would end on this ecstatic high note, LANY took it one step further. Klein jumped over the guardrail separating the crowd from the stage and sang alongside fans rushing towards him just to briefly touch his arm or snap a quick picture. It was electric, and Klein’s infectious enthusiasm was palpable.
Once the song ended and Klein jumped back to the stage, the entire band came to the front and bowed for the audience. The exit felt heartfelt, and fans cheered as touring bandmates and drummer Jake Goss waved to the crowd. Upon leaving, the stage presented a silly Looney Tunes-style “That’s All Folks!” text on the screen, creating a fun, carefree atmosphere until the very last second.