Have you ever had such an enchanting and happy dream, yet lucid and believable enough to convince you that this was a new reality you had entered? Imagine this; You can enter this lucid realm at the press of a button at any time, and even though it is an emotional place that encapsulates both feelings of joy and sadness. This realm becomes the one you are always allowed at once you accept lobby boy as one of your new musical muses. Every time you step in, you’re sure to find something new to gush about.
lobby boy hail from the Harrisonburg and Richmond, VA areas and began in 2018 as a project made up of fairly seasoned active DIY scene artists who set out to clearly create the highlights the dreamlike pop, alternative, indie rock and electronic music. Their first album, Pretty Song / Personality Pursuits, is a true labor of love and passion that is sure to open the heart of any listener. Songs such as “Yours Forever” and “Birdhouse” will instantly immerse you in waves of color and auditory euphoria. The entire album features a nice mix of upbeat and energetic songwriting, while returning to slower grooves with laid back, dance-worthy atmospheres.
With a strong presence on the local DIY scene, as well as on the East Coast, the group has not failed to network its name across the cosmos of any region where it is welcome. After completing an 8-date tour stretching as far north as Boston, MA to Raleigh, NC in May 2022, lobby boy quickly attract ears everywhere. Perhaps one of their most notable recent shows included a spot on the legendary MACROCK festival in Harrisonburg, VA in February 2022. Snippets of their performance included unexpected style changes and added elements, with the singer at Goodspeed giving us a taste of some high, hard, grindcore screams during one of the songs. . With such an unpredictable and mind-blowing live set, it’s hard not to understand what gets fans hooked on their music.
So where exactly does this band come from? You may ask yourself this question, because even with many Google searches, it seems that lobby boy are not without a good dose of ambiguity in their history. It turns out the project started out simply as demos in GarageBand, crafted by vocalist Chez Goodspeed. As you may have guessed, the name is borrowed from a character from The Grand Budapest Hotel movie, but focusing specifically on the concept of every person you can meet in this world having their own story to tell. ‘In my personal life, I try to remember that even if I fight or have a conflict with someone, it’s a story that’s unfolding in front of me, whatever the interaction, whether it’s whether small or large,‘ says Goodspeed, in a recent Washington Post article detailing the origins of the band.
lobby boy radiate love and passion, as well as a serious push to be yourself to the fullest. I think what personally clicks with their music for me is just that – A sense of authentic identity that kindly respects all those other identities around you. The band reminds me of the softer sides of life, embracing those you love around you with open arms while remembering to allow yourself that same kind of free existence. In a world where other people’s ideas of you can be intrusive, and even though you don’t necessarily feel like they have any control over you, you find yourself almost subject to this fable of who you are. , this kind of concept rooted in music is the solace we could all use; We are nothing but what we choose to be.
Developing this point more directly, Chez states in the interview, ‘I am confirmed totally in love with all the members of my group and I want to encourage them to pursue their personalities at all times, always.‘ This also tells us where the title of the album comes from, given that ‘pursuit of personality‘ more or less serves as a mantra for the design of the band, its work ethic, and how it approaches its creative endeavors as well. Not to mention, a clear sense of chemistry and general cohesion within the group is also to be seen, likely with the support of this loving and accepting mindset.
Although I have not yet attained the experience of witnessing lobby boy in live performance, I’ve remained an avid follower of what they do. Pretty Songs/Personality Pursuits remained in regular rotation in order to memorize each song as much as possible for when I finally see them. The more I see their name on the flyers, the more I know they are headed for something big. They’re a band that deserves a spot on tour with people like MGMT, hot chip, From Montrealor even Empire of the Sun. Although, I imagine they would be happy to hit the stage with pretty much any act that got them. The dynamics they showed in sound and style with most of the live clips I’ve seen actually credit them with a fit with just about anyone.
lobby boy are a quality band with quality music and demand your attention immediately. Visually and theatrically exhilarating, musically instructive, passionately performing and engaging for all; This is the act that will heal your soul and steal it from your body all at once. In just 4 years, they have already won over a lot of people, especially considering the distribution of their album with the Brooklyn-based company Citrus City Records. If you blink, you’ll miss their next move.
