I was 14 when I first heard the band LANY’s hit “ILYSB.” Like any other girl on the verge of teenhood, I was hooked. I remember Paul Klein singing “my heart hurts so good, I love you so bad” and thinking, “This is exactly what it feels like to have a crush on the boy next to me in Language Arts.” Since that moment, I’ve remained a dedicated fan of LANY, following their journey from the 2015 debut EP “Make Out” to their latest 2023 studio album, “A Beautiful Blur.”
The band is in the thick of their 2024 North American tour, playing the Kia Forum in Los Angeles for the second time in their career this past Saturday.
A glance through their discography reveals the profound influence Los Angeles has had on their music. They sing about young love on the west coast in “Made in Hollywood,” pay homage to Malibu’s sunsets in “Pink Skies” and share how an Oklahoman upbringing interplays with the Californian influence in “Cowboy in LA.” The L.A. in LANY remains a consistent thread in their music. During their homecoming concert, the lead singer paused from the music to share his disbelief that the songs he wrote in his tiny apartment in Hollywood could go on to “fill up the Forum.” It was clear that this concert was of special importance to bandmates Paul Klein and Jake Doss.
The band grew rapidly early in their career, and while they have maintained a loyal fan base — as evidenced by a nearly sold-out show this weekend — they have garnered criticism for their recent work, leaving some fans desiring the golden era of “Malibu Nights.” A quick Reddit search will show a whole slew of keyboard warriors who complain about unoriginal lyricism and radio-friendly pop that leaves something to be desired.
While there’s a part of me that leans towards the 2018 LANY compared to the 2024 LANY, witnessing “A Beautiful Blur” at the Kia Forum served as a poignant reminder of why I’ve always cherished the band. LANY’s lyrics may not be dissected in future literature classes for their poetic intricacies or deep symbolism, but their songs evoke a sense of familiarity. Not in the sense of recognizing the chords or melodies, but rather in how they capture the exact emotions you experienced at pivotal moments in your life—like the heartbreak at 18, where your world feels like it’s crumbling. Then at 19, in a new city, living with roommates, blasting music while cooking pasta in your tiny kitchen. At 20, when a name on your phone gives you butterflies, and at 21, when that same name ends up blocked.
LANY’s music provides solace for the dichotomy of emotions that accompany growing up. It gets you through the rough days and it helps you celebrate the good ones. In essence, the music feels real, it’s relatable, and ultimately, it makes you feel better.
LANY’s ability to evoke emotions through their music extends seamlessly into their live performances. In the two hour performance, the audience was invited to revisit every era and every emotion we have ever shared with the band. Not only did they successfully accomplish this through their set list, but the execution of the live performance carried a cinematic weight. The band reportedly worked with movie set designers to match the lighting and stage design to the feelings that each song conveys. One minute the stage turned dark and phone flash lights went up as the audience cried over Klein sitting alone at the piano playing “Alonica.” Next, the lights turned pink and the crowd danced while the singer crowd surfed to the tune of “Out of my League.”
All together, the band’s stage presence, fan engagement and carefully curated set design created an immersive experience, the likes of which I have never experienced at a concert before. It’s so captivating that even if you’ve never heard of the band before, you’d still likely find yourself deeply connected to their music.
What people love about LANY—what I love about LANY— is that they have something for everyone: Songs about falling in love, songs about falling out of love, bops that you can dance to, and ballads you can cry to. It is apparent when shuffling through their albums, yes, but it is an inevitability when you see them in concert