Photos and review by NOTES FROM VIVACE
LOS ANGELES – Lo Moon entered the final stretch of their “I Wish You Way More Than Luck” tour across the US with a stop in their hometown of Los Angeles. An appreciative crowd showed up at The Roxy to welcome them home from a tour that took them through Europe and North America.
Lo Moon formed eight years ago and over those years the band has crafted the finest atmospheric pop music. Their songs often go from quiet moments of contemplation that slowly build until the music breaks out into the resolution of triumphant joy.
Their song “Raincoats” starts off like a Gregorian chant that introduces the drums slowly building up the pressure midsong until the explosion with the hypnotic lyrics, “Listen to my heart beat. Is it too fast? Am I too far? I wanna go again!” Many of the band’s songs clock in between the 5 to 7 minute mark, which allows them to let the composition explore the meaning of the lyrics.
The band’s set focused on songs from their “I Wish You Way More Than Luck” album, but the band also added in songs from their prior two albums “Lo Moon” and “A Modern Life.” Perhaps the most well received song from the night was “Carried Away” from “A Modern Life” that had the crowd cheering loudly at the end.
Having played together for all these years, the band members have a comfort on stage with each other. Lead singer Matt Lowell and bassist keyboardist Crisanta Baker played off each other with Baker often flinging her hair doing those interactions. Though Lowell’s keyboard separated Lowell from guitarist Samuel Steward, the two didn’t allow that barrier to prevent them from bonding on stage. Whenever Lowell played the keys, Steward would play facing close to the keys. Drummer Jonny Scott was not ignored in all this interaction as Baker often casually made her way towards the drum stage.
Highlighted songs from their new album would be “Waiting A Lifetime” that has a lovely vocal interchange between Lowell and Baker. Their encore “Evidence” hit the emotional heartstrings with vocals quietly singing the raw, self-realizing lyrics, “What a f*cking mess. We find ourselves in . . . There’s something I regret. Leaving you cold as ice in Connecticut.”
Comment of the night as Lowell’s mic stand was falling apart, “If I could only find a good mic stand . . . They [The Roxy] even said, ‘this is a good mic stand.’”
When introductions were made, Lowell teased Baker with the longest pause, “On bass and keys . . . “ There was a long wait until Baker cracked a smile and the crowd started to cheer loudly in anticipation. “. . . . Crisanta Baker.”
The set was a moment of joy from start to end for the band (even with the mic stand problems). Lowell had a huge smile when the band walked onto the stage in front of the home crowd. When the band exited the stage, hugs were exchanged between the band members.
Opening the night was Tre. Charles. The artist came in from Durham, North Carolina. For those who understand the city of Durham, the big question that was not answered during the set was if on Feb 1st he had a Duke or North Carolina flag on his porch.
Okay, he has an excuse, he was on tour with Lo Moon. He mentioned that he had only started pursuing music five years ago after recovering from a head-on car collision. His singer-songwriter set was well received. When he mentioned that one of his songs had gone viral, though maybe not in Los Angeles, someone in the audience yelled back, “Until now.”
Lo Moon Setlist: Borrowed Hills, Waiting A Lifetime, This Is It, Raincoats, Expectations, When The Kids Are Gone, Connecticut, Water, Carried Away, Dream Never Dies, Loveless. Encore: Evidence.
