Alt 92.1 hosts free acoustic show by lovelytheband at Stage West in Scranton on Jan. 27
From a press release:
Hours before Alt 92.1 presents its second annual Snow Show at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday, Jan. 27, the local alternative radio station will bring Los Angeles indie pop group lovelytheband to Stage West in Scranton for a special acoustic set at 3 p.m.
This is a free all-ages show, but it is first come, first served and space will be limited. When the venue reaches capacity, no one else will be allowed in, so fans are encouraged to arrive early. Get registered by texting BROKEN to 8-8-4-7-4. Those who attend will also have a chance to win free tickets to the Snow Show with Young the Giant, Grandson, The Interrupters, and The Nude Party at 7 p.m.
Doors at Stage West (301 N. Main Ave., Scranton) are set to open at 1 p.m. There will be a full service bar and kitchen for the event.
Lovelytheband first came to Scranton last July as part of the Alt 92.1 Furnace Frenzy with Dirty Heads, Jukebox the Ghost, Love in Future Times (L.I.F.T.), Brother Sundance, and Morgan Saint.
Music gives a voice to those who need it when they need it the most. Our favorite artists say the difficult things out loud so we don’t have to – but can learn how to.
By the same token, lovelytheband translate emotions, anxieties, and feelings into lush, layered, and lively indie pop anthems. When the band was founded by lead singer Mitchy Collins, guitarist Jordan Greenwald, and drummer Sam Price in 2017, the trio maintained a lasting connection to listeners by holding nothing back.
“I really believe the importance of songwriting is saying something when someone else doesn’t know how to,” affirms Collins. “In the songs, I’m talking about life, trials, tribulations, depression, anxiety, and shit I deal with as well as the headaches that come along with the good and bad days. My problems don’t define me, but we should embrace every side of who we are. The message is, ‘Everything will be fine.'”
This message immediately resonated among audiences everywhere. A centerpiece of the 2017 EP “Everything I Could Never Say,” the group’s debut single “Broken” caught fire as “the longest running No. 1 track on Alternative Radio thus far in 2018” with six weeks at the top. In under a year, it amassed 25 million total global streams. BuzzFeed summed it up as “So. Damn. Good.” Billboard proclaimed the group among its “10 Rock and Alternative Artists to Watch in 2018” as they supported Vance Joy and AWOLNATION on tour between headlining dates everywhere. Everything paved the way for the arrival of the band’s first full-length, “Finding It Hard to Smile” (Sony’s RED Music). Produced by “Broken” collaborator Christian Medice, these 16 tracks entrance, engage, and enchant, offsetting shimmering keys, sweeping synths, and spacey guitars with cathartic, compelling, and catchy choruses.
The title speaks directly to its thematic push-and-pull.
“‘Finding It Hard to Smile’ touches on my life,” says Collins. “There are days when it’s hard to even walk out of my front door or get out of bed. So you find the will to power through, call on your friends, and rely on loved ones to pick you up when you’re down and bring magic out of you. A lot of the record is about embracing who you are as well as dealing with relationships, breakups, nostalgia, and unrequited love. It’s really introspective for me.”
They preceded the album’s release with the single “These Are My Friends,” which quickly cracked two million streams worldwide. Wound up by faint guitar and a chant, “These are my friends, these are my friends, I love them,” the track crescendos towards an ambitious arena-ready hook.
“I was walking around Los Angeles one day thinking,” he recalls. “I left a party where I had a really good time at. Right after, I wrote the main lyric in my phone. I held onto it for a little while, but it eventually turned into a song about wanting love and wanting to fit in. I brought it to the guys in the studio, and they really took it to the next level. It becomes a lovelytheband song when everyone is on it.”
Whether it’s the feedback buzz and 808 rush of “Pity Party” or orchestral ambiance on “Alone Time,” the soundscapes mirror the emotional ebb and flow encoded in the lyrics. Elsewhere, the intimate “Maybe I’m Afraid” unveils an infectious confession as the band admits their fears without filter.
“It’s one of my proudest moments as a songwriter,” says the frontman. “It turned into the story of relationship. You’re in it. You know things are beautiful, but you’re scared to commit to the other person. I think a lot of people struggle with the same thing. It feels relatable.”
Rounding out 2018 with a headlining tour and hitting the stages of Lollapalooza, the Billboard Hot 100 Festival, and more, lovelytheband’s voice is only getting dramatically louder. It might just make crowds feel better too.
“I hope when you listen to it, you can find some solace or reassurance,” Collins leaves off.
“Maybe you didn’t know how to communicate something aloud, and it helps for us to talk about it. Hearing it might inspire you to make a move. Music moved me and gave me a little hope as a kid. I hope you can take away something from this in the same way my favorite records helped me. That would be my biggest goal with lovelytheband.”
