Lovejoy Live at the Moroccan Lounge
Photo by Shaeley Hicks
I have learned that with each show I have attended recently, I am either extremely early or terribly late. Between traffic, picking up friends, and the mundane business of the day, there is no telling what the night of a show may entail. So, on Friday, December 9th, I found myself sprinting from my parking space to the front doors of the Moroccan Lounge in Los Angeles to catch Lovejoy’s set.
Formed in Brighton, Lovejoy is a British indie rock band that has grown in immense popularity since the release of their first EP in May of 2021 titled Are You Alright? The four track project garnishes some of their most recognizable songs such as “One Day” and “Sex Sells.” Since then, they have released their debut album Pebble Brain in October of 2021 along with their single “Knee Deep at ATP” that following December. The band is made up of four members – Ash Kasbou, Mark Boardman, Joe Goldsmith, and Wilbur Soot. Prior to the show, I was not too familiar with the band save for their most popular hits. However, I didn't really have to ponder why the group became so well known at such speed. Their sound combines the charisma of a heartthrob “boy-band” with the edge of an indie-rock similarity to the Arctic Monkeys or The Wombats. They have that undeniable English tone that makes its presence on the stage, solidifying their talent in live performances on their most recent tour.
When I arrived at the venue, Lovejoy was in the middle of playing “Cause for Concern,” a song from their debut EP. The Moroccan Lounge was packed from the back to front, heeding to the fact that it was a sold out show. The crowd was a mass of different faces, young and old, bopping their heads to the grit of Joe and Wilbur’s guitars. The nostalgic air of their sound had me bouncing around as well, putting a smile on my face as the reverberation of bass and drums hit my ears.
What truly added to the band’s charm was their interactions on stage, where they bantered witty comments back and forth to one another like joking about members who just quit vaping. They definitely welcomed the crowd into their circle this way, adding to the casual intimacy of the performance.
The highlight of the night could be amassed from their performance of “One Day.” The lead singer, Wilbur Soot, began the song with his back facing the crowd as he played the opening chords. I have to mention how invested the crowd was, practically sounding out these chords as Wilbur turned around and sang the humorous line into the mic – “‘Cause why’d you have to kill my cat?” Packed into such a quaint venue, the power of the room screaming out the lyrics to this had the ground almost moving. It was a high-energy moment of pure joy (or lovejoy, for that matter).
Around this time, a fan had passed up a bouquet of flowers that Ash proceeded to attach to the end of his bass. The dedicated nature of the fans completely added to the atmosphere as people cheered and whooped when each member of the band did something. I think it was easy to equate the heavy following the band had online as well, as almost everyone’s phone was up taking videos the entire length of the set. I read that this was one of the first few shows they have done in the United States, making it a rare chance for fans to get a taste of their favorite songs live.
They had topped off the night with their song “Sex Sells” and an encore of three songs beginning with “Perfume.” Introducing the song “It’s All Futile! It’s All Pointless!,” Wilbur explained how he wrote the song in reflection of isolation during the COVID-19 breakout. I liked this spiel, as it was reminiscent of a time that lacked live music, bringing the room into the present moment of being one-on-one with the music again. They brought the night to a close with the song “Concrete.” Truly this song left me in awe of both the artist and the fans. I cannot recall the last time I had been in a room with so many people who knew the songs word for word. This reflects heavily on the connection drawn between the band and its fans.
Aside from arriving a few songs in, I think the show rounded itself up pretty fast, ending around 8:45, making it a set that went under an hour which may be attributed to the length of their discography so far. But, once the band exited the stage, security immediately began ushering people out of the room and into the bar portion of the venue. Allegedly, another act separate to the tour was supposed to perform thereafter. This element made the set feel a little brief and rushed. Yet other than that, Lovejoy solidified me as a fan that night with an absolutely energetic performance.
I am truly eager to see what they do next and hope that they come to the states more often. It was fun to walk outside to see a bunch of people in a circle singing and dancing to someone playing “Hey There Delilah” on the ukulele. The giddy singalong song drifted into the air as my friend and I walked back to my car.