A mixture of old and young fans filled up the Madrid Theatre on Thursday night. Granted, they were probably parents of the younger demographic as they were sitting against the wall while their kids stood in the middle of the floor, waiting for the the show to begin. That’s the thing about Lights: she has no target demographic, and her fans are loyal as hell. The Madrid provides the right amount of intimacy that performer like Lights yearns for. As seen in her Instagram posts, she loves connecting herself with her fanbase. And if you’re not following her on there, do it.
Toronto based performer DCF, or David Charles Fischer, kicked off the night with his one man act, followed by Australians Chase Atlantic. The crowd came for the entire lineup. Singing back every song and even calling out the next titles, both DFC and Chase Atlantic have a fan base here in Kansas City that built the atmosphere for the rest of the night.
Lights started her set off with “New Fears” off her fourth album “Skin and Earth.” Since the start of the tour in late January, Lights admitted that the band hasn’t been feeling well and are fighting off a bug, but the excitement and love that Kansas City brought to the table helped them continue to play on. She even posted a picture on her Instagram story thanking KC for helping her power through the show while battling the stomach flu. That’s dedication right there.
Nearly 10 years since beginning her career, Lights remembers when she first came here in the late 2000s. With that kind of connection, it’s easy to see how much this city loves her. “I think the first time we played here was in 2008, it’s been a while, Kansas City!” she said.
As she begins to wind down her tour, it’s exciting to see what Lights’ next moves will be. It’s pretty hard to top a concept album and comic book, but there is no doubt that she continue to surprise, and build, her loyal fanbase.
Keep up with Lights here.
**by Ashleigh Lee
