Live Review: COIN - Venue, Vancouver 24/02/2019

COIN made their much awaited return to Vancouver last week, stopping in at Venue to play an incredible show with support from the ever entertaining Tessa Violet.

Walking on stage to Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) is a bold choice if you’re not actually the Backstreet Boys, but it’s a choice that Tessa Violet made nonetheless. She bounced onto the stage, instantly brightening up the room with her personality and bright yellow hair and matching jumpsuit. Tessa has been releasing music under her name since 2014, alongside her popular Youtube channel which currently holds 1.5 million subscribers.

Kicking off her set with Crush, just one of her very relatable and real songs, her bubbly and energetic persona is clearly evident as she shreds her guitar and bounces around. In a nice contrast to her very upbeat and fun songs, she also bares her heart to the crowd with an acoustic rendition of Make Me A Robot, detailing her struggles with her mental. Tessa Violet has a clear aptitude for putting together a live show, because she was able to bring the mood of the room right back up and finished off with an even more fun and bouncy performance of Crush, which didn’t seem possible but she did it anyway!

It’s been a year since COIN played their last sold out show in Vancouver, and it’s clear that the excitement around them has far from died out, especially with the upcoming release of their third studio album. The Nashville based band, made up of Chase Lawrence (vocals, synths), Ryan Winnen (drums), and Joe Memmel (guitar, vocals), started releasing music in 2013 and currently have 2 albums and 2 EPs under their belts.

The stage presence this band has is incredible and perfectly in line with their upbeat indie-pop sound. Kicking off their set with what is one of their most danceable songs, I Don’t Want To Dance, they carried on the energy of Tessa’s set. This energy never seemed to die as Chase gave an incredible performance, going between singing and jamming out on the synth. Even during their slower songs like Hannah and Malibu 92 the vibe in the room is one of happiness and fun. The connection this band has with their fans is so much fun to watch, as they take the flowers being held out to them and get right down into the crowd.

This tour has sadly come to an end, but COIN will be heading back out on the road with Young The Giant in June and July throughout the United States. Be sure to catch them if they’re playing near you, and keep an eye out on Tessa Violet as well!

Photography and words by Kelli Anne