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Lostboycrow, flor and Joan will bring infectious lyrical energy to Durham

lost-boy-crow-motorco-concert
Lostboycrow performing on tour with The Score. Photo courtesy of Sophie Harris.

Soft white stage lights illuminate an animated figure, enraptured in the notes bursting from his guitar. In a raw and unadulterated harmony, singer Lostboycrow creates music that has captured audiences from Arizona, Georgia and in a few days, North Carolina.

Chris Blair, also known as Lostboycrow, is an Oregon-born indie-pop artist who will be performing alongside headlining bands flor and Joan, in Durham's Motorco Music Hall on Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. 

In his most recent album release, "Sante Fe," he has stripped down the electronic R&B style of his old work to bring audiences simple yet effective voice-lead guitar melodies. This album is about remembering his roots, Blair said, and producing something raw, as well as contained. 

“There’s a certain level of sincerity in the music that I write,” Blair said. “And I’d like to think that everybody can sort of get something from listening in that regard.”

Joan, also performing at this concert, aims to provide audiences with a similar feeling of truthful connection, said band members Alan Thomas and Steven Rutherford. 

“Our number one goal is to write music that makes people feel something," Thomas said. "Hearing from people that our music positively affected them through a tough time they were having is the most validating feeling for us. It makes all of the hard work and grind make sense. The fact that we could be a soundtrack to someone's life is quite humbling.” 

Taylor Workman, a longtime fan of flor, the tour's headliner, said their music brings joy overall. 

 “I think they're really out to just brighten everyone's day," Workman said. "Their music is extremely uplifting and super bright and colorful. It's like an anti-depressant."

Workman recently attended the bands’ concert in Atlanta and said flor put the audience at ease, creating a relaxed, familial environment.

“Everyone is going to be in a great mood and laughing at this show — they demand it of you on stage,” Workman said.

Blair agreed with Workman's sentiment about the audience atmosphere, and he said the sincerity each band possesses blends together in perfect harmony, in turn creating the actual performance. 

"That's something I've always loved to do," Blair said. "I think you just know you get more and more comfortable being up on stage in front of people and realizing that they want the same things you want, you know?" 

Blair said in his experience, it's very natural for the audience and band to interact with one another. He said the performance is led by the audience's active perception of what the artists are doing on stage. 

“People really want to be free,” Blair said. “And if you’re tense, I think they are gonna be a little awkward or tense or turned off. And I think if you allow them to see how free and sort of fluid and how much fun you’re having, I think that’s going be infectious.” 

arts@dailytarheel.com

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