Wednesday night, singer-songwriter and Minneapolis native, Landon Conrath made a stop at Arts at the Armory in Somerville, MA with support from opening artist, Abby Holliday.Â
As a mid-twenties musician with relatable feelings and stories to share, Conrath drew a crowd as warm and welcoming as himself. He and his band made everyone feel at home with wide smiles, laughs and a load of gratitude for the continuous support they’ve received in their journey in the music industry.Â
Conrath released his first song, “Pieces†back in 2020 as the pandemic was impacting the live music scene like never seen before. Despite the uncertain future of his career, he continued to produce music, later putting out his first EP, “Paperbacks & Perfume.” However, following the success of hits like “2AM†and “Papercuts,†he found himself questioning his worth and almost gave up on music altogether. On Wednesday night, as he recalled his doubts to the crowd, they couldn’t help but feel for him, cheering loudly and showing him that they are so happy that he decided to stick around.
At the beginning of the show, Conrath made a comment about how large the venue was, emphasizing just how far he has come and how far he can continue to go. He also shared that Boston is one of his favorite cities to play in, even though he received a parking ticket the last time he was here. His bandmate and guitarist assured us that he fought the ticket and won, shouting “Landon one, Boston zero!â€.Â
Throughout the set, the crowd got a mix of his older music off of earlier EPs as well as some from his newest release, “can i win just a little bit???,” including “Mezzanine†and “Space Invaderâ€. During each song, a lyric video with some homemade footage of Conrath played on the big screen behind them, elevating the performance and giving the crowd an added peek at who he is.Â
After the performance of the final song on the setlist, members of the crowd began chanting “encoreâ€. Conrath and his bandmates formed a huddle on the stage in excitement. After a moment, he stepped up to the mic and announced they had one more song in their back pocket they could give us. People started re-entering the venue doors when they heard the news. They closed the night with “Science Fiction†off of his 2022 album, “Nothing Matters Anyway.”
Being the humble, kind-hearted and grateful person he is, Conrath stuck around after the show to meet his fans and sign some merch.Â
Though Conrath’s latest project asks, ‘can i win just a little bit???,’ Wednesday night’s performance proved that he already has. Between the crowd’s refusal to let him leave without an encore and his own refusal to let a parking ticket (or a career crisis) keep him down, it’s clear that as long as Conrath keeps showing up, his fans will be there to make sure he stays.
Grab a ticket to one of his shows if you get the chance. You won’t be disappointed!
