Live Review: LANY, Glades

The room is dark and lights stream overhead as the crowd erupts in a high-pitched cheer for opening act Glades. Fans are already on their feet jumping, dancing and singing along to single Speechless as Glades fit perfectly into the vibe for tonight with Karina Wykes' soft, heavenly vocals elevating dreamy, synth-pop melodies that are sassy and pack in a lot of attitude. There's lots of dancing and a boy some rows ahead of us finally lets go with the moves he's been holding back for the final two songs Do Right and Drive, punching the air along with the deep bass lines and waves of synths. 

Projections of rain are our backdrop for tonight. The opening bars to Dumb Stuff ring through and suddenly the room is filled with deafening screams as Californian alt-rockers LANY appear on stage. It looks like singer Paul Klein has had a haircut; his signature locks have become a choppy, short 'do. We hear many surrounding crowd members exclaiming, "His hair!" Klein is a natural-born performer, his charisma is off the charts and he knows it. "If you wanna just fly over the seats," he suggests, working the young fanbase with ease, holding their hands, waving to the upstairs balcony and even jumping into the crowd during Made In Hollywood, which causes an utter frenzy as girls push to the front hoping for a touch. 

Hurts begins slow and sweet with smooth reverb, and soon builds into a fierce, emotional final chorus as Klein belts out, "The more you love, the more it hurts," falling into his microphone. The passion in his delivery is perhaps more real since Klein split from his girlfriend Dua Lipa earlier this year, the pain bleeding through his gritty vocals.

"We're gonna be here for the rest of our lives if that's ok," Klein beams, acknowledging the love they've received from tonight's utterly besotted fans. A heartbreaking cover of Harry Styles' Sign Of The Times follows, with Klein lit under a single spotlight, before they transition into Current Location. As Klein wraps the Australian flag around his shoulders for Pink Skies, the room is filled with a hazy pink light to match. Then as the final notes of Hericane ring out, they leave the stage.

But ten seconds later, they're back. The room turns into a rainbow for latest single Super Far, LANY's energy still at 110% as the band give adoring fans their all for closing song ILYSB, which we sing so loudly that Klein's vocals are drowned out. LANY definitely leave their mark on Australian fans tonight.