Live Review: LANY @ HBF Stadium, Perth

Perth’s very own prodigy, Mitch Santiago, stepped onto the stage at HBF Stadium on a tantalising Tuesday night, sending shockwaves around the room with his guitar.

The young musician felt right at home on stage, whisking through the coastal-tinged rock melodies of tracks like Falling and even the latest single, Bandaids, a punchy upbeat number that’s definitely one to add to the playlist. The local legend said a heartfelt farewell, leaving the crowd gripped for more. A perfect Perth entree to a Nashville main course.

Tension builds as a rhythmic wash of synth and a marimba-tinged suspense peels through the crowd. The intro builds for so long that people start putting their phones away to avoid running out of storage. You! suddenly erupts through the speaker, sending shockwaves through the stadium as American pop-rock band LANY forms behind a curtain that drops gracefully. “Hello, what’s up everyone in Perth?” Lead singer Paul Klein belts out as phones immediately shoot back up. 

Ex I Never Had and Rain’s In LA follow, keeping the momentum going with daring theatrics and enough swagger from the daring frontman to make you swoon. The music is nice too. The closing notes end on a lone ‘Perth’ sign illuminated on stage before sunset-lit arched windows fade in. Paul takes to the piano to play I Pray, a jaunty ballad led by the keys.

“It’s my first show back for real, for real… you really thought you could hit me with a car and take me out,” he teases, heckling the crazed driver who knocked him off his scooter back in June, resulting in a postponed tour. And yet, he and the band feel stronger than ever, almost as if revitalised and back with a real hunger for a live crowd. They’re in luck because this one’s electric.

Care Less sees purple static fill the screen as beach balls bounce around the room. “Welcome to therapy on a Tuesday night, everybody.” It’s bags of fun for everyone! 

The aptly named Congrats takes the crowd on a hate-filled journey of grunge and grit that really highlights the band as a unit. Props also go to drummer Jake Goss on Pink Skies for some serious rhythm on the pulsing and flashy crowd-favourite track. 

Paul slides onto the ivory keys to play I Don’t Wanna Love You Anymore. They really love a bit of heartbreak and a good cry. But it’s Dancing In The Kitchen with its neon city-scape setting and rambunctious 80s groove that kicks the night into full throttle. A raucous drum solo launches LANY into a rabid guitar lick as Paul pulls out his dancing shoes to ride the rhythm right back to the piano again. 

An eerie note plays through the stadium before a melancholic piano key sends the crowd into solemn cheers for yet another ballad. Alonica is a lone swaying palm tree on a lush island breeze of a song perfect for slow dancing. “I love you so much,” he beams to the crowd. They respond by igniting their phone torches.

At this point in the set, the tracks start to blur into 80s synth-tinged warbling, but you can tell everyone’s having fun, especially Paul, who’s just happy to be out of the house. “Okay, okay, okay, are you still with us?” Honestly, just barely. 

Things thankfully pick up again with Super Far, an infectious driving drum beat of a track that pulsates through the crowd, sending rabid fans into a screaming frenzy. The electric guitar shines here on the bridge as the crowd sings each word with enough passion to bring a tear to your eye. 

The vibes stay high with 13 off the band’s self-titled debut. “We are so good at music… best band in the world period bro, banger after banger after banger”, the controversial heartthrob boasts with full belief.

It’s on ‘Cause You Have To that the lead singer’s vocals really shine. When it’s just Paul on the intro, belting out verse after verse, pleading for love before the rest of the band join in to create a beautiful crescendo of red-tinged forest scenes led by an angelic voice. This is a highlight of the night and certainly supports the credibility of his previous statement. 

Thru These Tears and Malibu Nights deliver a gut-wrenching one-two punch. Leaving not a single dry eye in the room as the band departs the stage to an anticipating sound of a heartbeat that builds and builds and booms... The boys return to play crowd-pleaser ILYSB and opener to the latest album, a beautiful blur, XXL, ending the night on a grand old high with Paul diving into the crowd before his band joins him upfront for rapturous applause. 

LANY have absolutely honed their craft over the years to provide a show of genuine musical skill. The lighting and production were exceptional, feeling as if you’re on the set of an early 90s pop music video. Even with an army of fans bouncing with joy, nobody was having as much fun as the boys up on that stage. It’s that kind of infectious love that really made the night a beautiful blur.