Indie-pop duo LANY transformed Arizona Financial Theatre into an emotion-filled haven as they kicked off the US leg of their SOFT World Tour on March 26th. Supported by openers Kairo and Elio, the night delivered a dynamic blend of rising talent and heartfelt, emotional moments that left Phoenix fans fully in awe.
The evening opened with KAIRO bringing a distinct energy to the stage, warming up the crowd with atmospheric sounds and infectious beats. The Nigerian-born duo set the tone for what would become a cohesive night of indie-pop and R&B. Elio followed an authentic performance and brought a very expressive but grounded presence to the stage. Her set wasn’t overly flashy, it felt conversational, like she’s letting the audience in on her thoughts in real time.
When LANY finally emerged, the stage was filled with red light, revealing frontman Paul Klein silhouetted behind a raised curtain against a sea of eager fans. Opening with “Soft,” the title track of their latest album, the band established an emotional connection with the audience. Klein’s vulnerability and smooth, melodramatic vocals carried through the theatre, while drummer Jake Goss anchored the performance with steady, driving rhythmic drum patterns.
The duo performed an extensive 27-song setlist which included all their massive hits from the past as well as the newly released ones from the album Soft. Tracks like “Malibu Nights,” “ILSYB,” and “XXL” were obviously fan favorites that gathered a massive audience singalong. They performed “banger after banger” as Paul described it. Regardless of being recently released, the crowd also sang their hearts out to tracks like “Stuck,” and “Last Forever” which were in the recent album and are on course to be classics.
One of the highlights of the show was when Paul invited one of the audience to the stage to sing with him during the song “13.” The lucky chosen girl couldn’t contain his excitement as he let her sing some of the parts of the song and took some photos with the whole crowd after. Another young fan requested the band if he can play the guitar which also Paul happily said yes to.
LANY’s set leaned into simplicity. Minimal stage design and lighting allowed the music and the connection between artist and audience to be the focus of the night. Klein’s casual charm when dancing between songs and encouraging fans to sing along, created an intimate atmosphere despite the venue’s size. His interactions with the audience really felt genuine, turning concert moments into shared experiences.
While the show may not have relied on elaborate visuals or theatrics, it didn’t need to. The LANY duo proved that their strength lies in emotions and audience connection. That connection was undeniable in Phoenix, making the night feel less like a concert and more like a shared emotional release.