CHICAGO | “I love Chicago, I really do,” COIN’s lead singer Chase Lawrence exclaimed to the crowd during their show at Aragon Ballroom on October 5. The Nashville indie-rock group stopped in the Windy City to tour their latest album, I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore, released this past September. It was an incredibly special show for both the fans and the band as 10/5 is associated with the song, “Let It All Out (10:05)” from COIN’s 2020 album, Dreamland. Fans were in for quite a treat as the show was filled with lots of appreciation despite a major production difficulty.
Opening with songs from the new album, the band immediately gave it their all. Chicago fans know how to be an exciting, energetic crowd, which COIN quickly noticed and caught on. During the fifth song as the lights on their set came down, the lights on stage left and right lost control and started to go out of place, swinging across Lawrence and even hitting him gently. Despite this, the band continued into their next song, “Slack” until they had to exit for the crew to remove the lights, which took about 10 minutes. Fans anxiously awaited their return as we watched the crew run back and forth between the soundboard and the stage. The show must go on even when unexpected mistakes happen, and, after the lights were removed, COIN picked up right where they left off like nothing had happened.
Later in the night, Lawrence went into detail about his experiences writing “Let It All Out (10:05)”, written on the same day as the concert in 2018. Their favorite and most personal song, the band called 10:05 a “place” and a “feeling,” something that fans also connect with. Everyone in the crowd I could see sang their hearts out, some even holding each other and crying, because of the special day for the song. When the time turned 10:05, Lawrence shouted out with a huge smile, “It’s 10:05!”, to which I looked at my watch, noticed the time, and smiled along with him. I started to feel a deeper connection to the song that night as I started to understand the feeling of 10:05.
The night continued with songs from the newest album along with some classics. All in all, COIN delivered a unique performance filled with love and gratitude.