Lostboycrow Brings Indie Pop to Chicago
By Rebecca Ackerman
The only way to celebrate the first day of spring is going to see a show. The honor went to Lostboycrow at Schubas Tavern in Chicago. Schubas was adorned in the leftover St. Patrick’s Day decorations and the normal crowd of patrons. One of my favorite parts of Schubas is the intimacy. With no barricade in the way, fans go right up against the stage and can really connect with the main act. Lostboycrow was no exception.
Before Lostboycrow could come out, he had two electrifying openers: Kid Cadaver and Brooke Alexx. Both set the stage and kept the crowd entertained and singing along. The two worked in tandem to give the audience an idea of what was to come.
The first glimpse of Lostboycrow onstage was his guitar strap adorned with the handwritten words “Indie Pop”, flowers, and balloons on it. The balloons matched the tapestry that hung in the back of the stage. The tapestry and homemade guitar strap gave the energy of hanging out with your friends and listening to them playing their music for you.
Lostboycrow, aka Los Angeles singer-songwriter Chris Blair, knows how to pack a punch with his music. Mixed with rockstar vibes and humility, Blair captivated the crowd, myself included.
Blair was joined onstage by opener Kid Cadaver, Tanner Orange, and Jared Kleinstein, creating a full band with them. Each took turns jumping off amps and riffing with one another. They packed the set with guitar solos, and the high energy performance kept the crowd dancing the entire show.
Book ended with two covers, the set was a mix of songs from his most recent album, Indie Pop, and older songs from Valleyheart and Santa Fe. Dispersed throughout the set, Blair spoke about how surreal it was to be on his first headlining tour. Though not a huge talker, it was clear how much Blair was soaking in every moment of being on that stage and hearing his fans sing his songs back to him. He made sure to say just how much he loved everyone in that room.
One of my favorite moments of the show was when Blair took the time to tease Chicagoans about the Bears before singing “they lost the game again” in his song “Waving Goodbye”. Blair’s voice has the ability to bring you into his world and take you on a journey through his music.
After the last notes were played, the crowd cheered relentlessly begging for another song. Even though no song came, Blair stayed after the show to meet, talk, and take photos. He went from rockstar to just a normal guy offstage talking and laughing with fans as if they were all friends. It was truly a bonding experience for everyone in Schubas Tavern that night. Lostboycrow continues his tour until April 1st, so make sure to check out if he’s coming to your city. It’s a show you don’t want to miss.
