Singer-songwriter LP is certainly no stranger to live performance.
Her only release, 2012’s live EP titled Live and EastWest Studios, is proof of that.
But what I discovered a few nights ago at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall, is that to really “get” LP is to see her show.
After witnessing her fiery stage performance in person, the message was clear: she’s got a story to tell, and she’s meant to be on the stage.
A few years back, the picture was a bit different. A New Yorker relocated to Los Angeles, LP (born Laura Pergolizzi) has played the music business game for years now, with songs picked up by the likes of the Backstreet Boys, Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, The Hills and more.
But now, with her Warner Brothers debut slated to drop in May, it seems that she’s poised for something more, and the show a few nights ago felt something like the calm before the storm.
As she took the stage, it was easy to see why LP is gaining considerable buzz. Everything about her is memorable; from her restless vocals, down to her ukulele playing and Bob Dylan-esque hairdo. Supported by a drummer and guitarist, the band’s sound was full yet reserved, letting LP’s voice cut like a knife.
A high point of the show was “Tokyo Sunrise,” an epic slice of Eastern-inspired acoustic pop that could almost pass as a Stevie Nicks b-side. Simply put, LP slayed the vocal, with one note in particular causing goosebumps (on my part) and vigorous fist pumping (by the audience member in front of me).
LP and her band played every track from Live and EastWest Studios, plus some new songs and a cover of Coldplay’s “The Scientist.” If you spend any time perusing her videos on YouTube, you’ll soon discover her natural ability to transform covers of any genre into something of her own.
As the set came to a close, I think the audience, and myself included, felt fortunate to have seen LP in an intimate setting, knowing that there are inevitably big things to come.
Check out photos from the show at the bottom of the post, and below is a live video for “Tokyo Sunrise”:
LP’s debut studio album will be out in May. Learn more at iamlp.com.
