LANY fans packed Universal Citywalk’s Hard Rock Live for the first of the duo’s back-to-back shows in Orlando.
Not even a week after the release of their fifth studio album, A Beautiful Blur, LANY announced an accompanying world tour that would cross North America in early 2024. It didn’t take long before shows started to sell out, prompting the American pop band to add extra dates for some major cities, Orlando included. Joined by fellow Californian Conor Burns and Hazlett, LANY kicked off their two nights in Florida, literally, with a bang.
As showtime approached, the floor full of fans cheered as the stage was set. A large white backdrop with a handwritten “Conor Burns” was wheeled out before the lights dimmed and the young singer-songwriter burst out from backstage. Throughout his set, Burns held nothing back, jumping around and giving the crowd his all. Although his performance was short, it was full of energy that fans were happy to reciprocate, especially during the 2024 single “Girl$!” A small catwalk that extended into the general admission pit allowed for maximum crowd interaction and, even after his set, the crowd work didn’t stop. Conor continued to greet fans, shaking hands and giving out setlists before walking along the barricade to take pictures with as many people as he could during the set changeover.
Australian-born singer-songwriter Hazlett delivered a stripped-back performance fitting for his indie-folk vibe. With one single spotlight and an acoustic guitar, the focus was on Hazlett’s powerful vocals and emotionally driven lyrics. While there was no jumping or screaming throughout like in Burns’ set before, once each song finished, the crowd cheered as enthusiastically as ever. With each passing track, the stark contrast between the volume from the crowd during and between songs grew more dramatic before Hazlett said his goodbyes to the roars of a venue full of fans. With one changeover left, fans grew more excited with each passing moment; they knew now it would only be a short while until they saw LANY live. After an unexpectedly brief wait and a loud electrical pop, the lights went out and the crowd began cheering wildly. It took a few more moments of darkness before fans quieted down and excitement was replaced with confusion. Strobing lights from the fire alarms that lined the walls pulsed and slowly revelation dawned that the show wasn’t starting, the venue had lost power. Time passed slowly as crews worked to restore the lights, and the uncertainty of the show’s future left the crowd anxious. Conor Burns took the extended break as an opportunity to meet fans, walking through the pit as crew members with flashlights worked to continue setting up what they could on stage. Ten minutes after the scheduled set time, the lights and music flashed back and relief swept through the room. The show was back on track and finally, the curtain dropped to reveal LANY.“You!,” the opening track of the band’s 2021 album Mama’s Boy, kicked off the set as vocalist Paul Jason Klein walked out onto the catwalk, stepping on the fresh bouquet of red roses that is scattered there before each show. More roses were thrown to Klien throughout the first number, the ones that weren’t caught adding to the pile at his feet. “If It Even Rains In LA” was the first track from the tour’s titular album to be played, followed immediately by fan favorite “I Pray.”
A haze filled the venue as Klein took his place at the piano. Drummer and other half of the duo Jake Goss sat at his kit atop a glowing orange platform as a matching orange spotlight focused on Klein. The crowd danced and sang along to old and new favorites including “Love At First Fight” and “pink skies.” Throughout the set, Klein often put effort into interacting with as many fans as possible, waving to the upper sections, taking a pair of Mickey Mouse ears from the pit, and even drawing a tattoo on a fan’s sign. During gg bb xx’s “dancing in the kitchen,” Klein invited a fan onstage to sing with him.
After ending the regular set with “Malibu Nights,” LANY was quickly called back out for an encore. After “ILYSB” came the energetic peak of the night “XXL,” during which Klein jumped down into the pit and made his way through the crowd. When the final song finished, Goss and Klein, joined by their accompanying band, hugged and bowed at the end of the runway. Klein removed his ear protection to hear the crowd’s praise in its full force and the band expressed their gratitude for the support, to which the fans responded in kind. After a rollercoaster of a night, everyone was grateful the show went on, albeit a little late.
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