For the perfect night of indie pop and folk fusion look no further than Yoke Lore and girlhouse.
The Fonda Theater in Hollywood was simply buzzing with energy and love with the anticipation for this show. The smiling faces of the crowd lit up song after song as we all were transported through the stories syn but Adrian Galvin (Yoke Lore).
girlhouse - now returning to the east side of LA as their homebase - truly are shining stars. Singer Lauren Luiz has this spritelike and joyful quality to her music that makes her performance truly captivating. With only a six song set, they managed to pack a punch. From “knuckle tattoo” “concussion” and “the fatalist” to my personal favorite “pretty girl in la” they deliver this almost anti cool girl truly authentic feel that makes each song hit close to home. As a new permanent resident to LA and having driven multiple hours into the city anytime I had wanted to visit before - ‘pretty girl in la’ is the song that makes this city feel like a home to me - that I’m not the only one trying to make it here and navigate the “expectations” of the LA look and lifestyle.
Yoke Lore is a storyteller at the core. Between songs weaving a clear narrative of the intended impact of the music. “I want to tell stories about how memories, relationships, apprehensions and big dreams fold us all together.” From tracks like ‘Winona’ that gave everyone chills to a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” with his brother, Noah (who played the titular role in Broadway’s “Dear Evan Hansen” from 2017 to 2018); Yoke Lore had the audience in the palm of his hand - or hanging on the strings of his banjo. New song from Yoke Lore’s latest album Toward a Never Ending New Beginning “Enough” was my favorite of the night with a chorus that hits you square in the chest with a big anthemic drop of “I don’t wanna fuck it up”. If you were there with someone special you felt that potential suspended in space as you screamed out your fear of losing that spark along with the rest of the crowd.
Review and Photography by Hannah Schneider