Photo by Sonam Kaloti
‘COIN’ concert review
By Sonam Kaloti, Arts Editor
4.5/5
Imagine hearing “Holy Ghost” by COIN but muffled from downstairs because you’re in the upstairs washroom. Does it sound good? Well, despite the tragedy of missing my favourite song, it still sounded amazing from up there—and that says something.
COIN is an indie-pop band consisting of Chase Lawrence on lead vocals and synthesizers, Ryan Winnen on drums, and Joe Memmel on lead guitar and backing vocals. The band performed an all-ages show at Venue Nightclub on February 24.
Most of their songs had quite a bit of reverb which gave the concert a relaxed vibe. The crowd wasn’t rowdy and I could barely even hear the crowd singing (aside from myself, who was embarrassingly loud). The people were very nice though, and the atmosphere was positive and fun.
The lights were generally stable for slow songs, which made up about half of the setlist. However, the lights added to the dreamy, reverb-laden aesthetic of the songs, with twinkling white circles and strips of violet bathing all the band members in neon. During faster songs, the lights did what they do best during concerts: Pulse along with the beats and match the rhythm of the dancing crowd.
The band felt very connected to the audience, which was likely due to the small venue and close stage with no barricade. There were at least a couple of times when I was sure the lead singer Lawrence looked me in the eyes, but I’m also sure he did that because I was screaming along to his quiet acapella when nobody else was. Lawrence is an energetic frontman who was bouncing and dancing throughout most songs as well.
Like any live band, they made some mistakes including missed beats, incorrect pitches, or other unavoidable errors. What I always appreciate during these slips, however, is that there is no uncertainty that they are playing live and they are trying their best to put on a show with everything they’ve got.
The crowd was at its peak during COIN’s most popular song, “Talk Too Much,” which had everyone jumping and screaming in joy. One of my personal favourites live was “Growing Pains,” which has steady drums accented by playful cymbals, groovy guitar, excitable vocals, and a chorus that goes, “I can’t seem to make up my mind! Now what does that say about me?” It’s extremely easy to find yourself dancing to this tune, but that can be said for all of COIN’s faster-paced songs.
“Hannah” being played was funny because I happened to have gone to the concert with my friend named Hannah, and if you get the chance to see COIN live, I’d suggest taking a Hannah with you too. Singing, “I’m sorry Hannah, but I’ve got other plans!” to your friend is very fun, as it always is when there’s a recognizable name in a song.
The concert ended on “Fingers Crossed,” which was beaming with energy from every band member, as though they were pouring the rest of their souls into that performance. The song finished with an intense instrumental, during which the singer thrashed around the stage while the crowd went wild.
Overall, COIN is a talented band with a relaxed fanbase who you can groove or thrash along with, and these kinds of concerts are some of the best there are.
