COIN – A&R Music Bar – 4.29.17
Photos: Abby Kruthoffer // Review: Kris Perez

Nashville’s up-and-coming indie pop group COIN made their fourth appearance in Ohio’s capital city last Saturday night with an electrifying show at the A&R Music Bar. The show comes just a week after the release of their latest record How Will You Know If You Never Try?.

With a 13-song setlist consisting of a mix of the band’s first and second albums, fans were thrown into a lively performance narrated by flashing red lights and a giant gravestone to mimic the HWYKIYNT? album art. The venue was packed to the brim with attendees, but that didn’t stop everyone from getting on their feet and feeding off of the band’s energy.

The first song, “Feeling,” set the bar high, exploding with sound and an energy that would foreshadow the whole performance. There were no dull moments throughout the show, and every song transitioned smoothly into the next. From “Feeling” to “Atlas” to “Holy Ghost,” COIN made sure to show the crowd what they would be experiencing for the next hour.

Interaction with the crowd was one of the highlights of the performance, and at one point, the fans began to sing songs louder than frontman Chase Lawrence. Upon playing the infectious “I Don’t Wanna Dance,” the audience erupted and shook the venue to its core. Don’t be fooled by the name – “I Don’t Wanna Dance” had everyone moving along to the rhythm.

Halfway through the set, COIN slowed things down to play a melodic rendition of “I Could,” turning the venue into what felt like a dance floor at a high school prom. This was not only a chance for the crowd to catch its breath, but a moment to reflect on the performance thus far.

As the lights shifted to a soft blue and began to dim, the focus was put solely on Lawrence as his quiet vocals poured through the speakers. “I Could” slowly faded out, only to quickly launch into a vigorous performance of “It’s a Trap.”

Approaching the final few songs of the set, Lawrence paused and addressed the crowd, “Nothing fills me with more joy than to hear you guys sing about heartbreak.”

For an album filled with songs about heartbreak, the venue was filled with nothing but smiles and warm interactions between the fans and the band.

COIN didn’t falter to give fans a solid conclusion, closing with a performance of their smash hit “Talk Too Much” and “Fingers Crossed.” Lawrence fell into the hands of restless fans as he crowdsurfed during the final moments of the show. The band’s set flew by, but fans were left with the satisfying feeling of connecting with the people on stage.

A while back, the band tweeted a picture of drummer Ryan Winnen’s silhouette in front of a neon COIN sign with a simple message: “Home is a COIN show.” That mantra proved itself to be a reality during the band’s set.

COIN’s latest record and the architecture of their live show is about living in the moment, because after all “How Will You Know If You Never Try?”