Written by: Richy Jones
Donning an all black outfit with silver, sparkling boots, Lauren Calve stands at the front of the stage, guitar in her arms, exuding confidence. Her voice is soaring over the sound of her band, bodies are swaying in their seats, people are distracted from their meals because the energy from the stage is palpable. Halfway through an awesome set list, I find myself simply having a wonderful blues time.
Lauren Calve headlined The Tin Pan last week, giving a little holiday cheer and a whole lot of blues. Backed by her band, Calve performed a few songs from each of her album releases, including her Christmas tune Christmas is Where the Heart Is. As a special treat, she performed a couple unreleased songs which you can hear on her upcoming Album (not yet titled), which has yet to be assigned a release date.
Opening with a new tune “Late Bloomer”, a song Calve had captivated us with the feel of the steady rock groove and the honesty in her lyrics. A few songs later, “Better Angels” (my personal favorite) had us all on a wave of higher introspection. At the end of the set, which seemed to come too soon, Lauren Calve busted out her lap steel–sort of a guitar-like instrument. The one that you play sitting down with it laying across your lap, one hand using a steel tool that slides on the strings while the other hand plucks them. It creates one of my favorite sound textures in music.
It’s always a treat to see a band play for the first time after only hearing them on recordings. Live music performances give us a real experience that helps us make an emotional connection to the music. Based in the DMV area, Lauren Calve is an artist on the rise that you should check out if she’s ever playing near you. Bring a friend. You won’t be disappointed.
Before the show, I had a chance to chat with Lauren Calve backstage. She gave me some insights into the process of shopping her album to record labels, overcoming stagefright, and developing as a band leader.
Check out our conservation before Lauren’s show at The Tin Pan below.
For more information on Lauren Calve, her music, and to stay up to date with her news, be sure to visit www.laurencalve.com
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Blog Author - Richy Jones: Hey, my name is Richy Jones (they/them) and I’m a freelance creative holding it down in RVA. In 2017 I earned a bachelors degree from Virginia Commonwealth University with a discipline in music education. As a former school music teacher, I maintain a passion for sharing my love of music through various media. I’m happy to be apart of the HearRVA team, being a proponent of Richmond’s vibrant and growing music scene. As a hip hop artist, I record and perform under the stage name Qing Richy.