Standing in line outside MGM Fenway on a cool October evening, I thought back to the first time I saw Coin live. Three years ago, give or take a few months, I stood in a very similar line across the street from where I was now. Instead of being a senior in college, I was a freshman, and instead of waiting to get into MGM Fenway, I was outside of House of Blues.
A lot has changed since then, but a constant I know I can count on is that when Coin’s in town, they’re going to put on a great show. On Sunday, Oct. 27, Coin brought “I’m Not Afraid of Tour Anymore” to Boston for a night.
Opening for the band was Aidan Bissett, a Los Angeles based alternative artist. He delivered a strong set filled with driving melodies and jokes shared with the audience, alternating between bouncing around stage and standing behind the mic with his guitar. Bissett’s songs speak of young love in modern times, and his croon is reminiscent of a pop-ier version of Inhaler’s Elijah Hewson. His strongest songs included “Planet,” “Ultraviolet” and “Are We in Love Yet?”
After about eight songs, Bissett exits the stage and the crew immediately transforms the space. A piano and drumkit are uncovered at the back of the stage in front of a huge screen. Panels appear on either side of the stage and three smaller ones are lowered from the ceiling above microphones for the band. The last thing revealed is a vintage-looking soundboard next to a clear plastic chair.
About a half hour later, the stage lights dim and pre-show music comes to a halt. One by one, Coin takes their places. The last to enter is lead singer Chase Lawrence, who sits in the chair. The first notes of the opening song on Coin’s most recent album, “I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore,” play.
The almost two hour set is a nostalgic dive into the band’s discography with a setlist dedicated to longtime fans. Lawrence is a joy to watch perform as he throws himself across the stage with the energy of someone who’s not doing this every night; running from one end to the other whenever he’s not playing guitar behind the mic, never staying in one place for too long.
High-energy songs like “Chapstick” and “Time Machine” get the venue moving, but Lawrence’s energy transforms the audience spirit during calmer moments.
Shouts of “It’s 10:05!” echo across the room when the clock hits the minute. It’s a reference to a years-old Coin mantra and pillar of faith that Lawrence has instilled in every fan; when you see the number 10:05, it means everything is going to be okay.
He honors it a minute later by asking the audience to sing along to the song inspired by the idea. Sitting behind the piano, he plays the opening notes of “10:05 (Let it All Out)” and thousands of fans are so quiet you could hear a pin drop. When the song ends, the audience remains quiet and lets it hang there, enjoying the moment for a little bit longer before the show resumes.
When it does, it’s with the snarky “Problem” off their newest album. It’s one of their loudest and most fun, the blatant “I don’t care” attitude getting the audience dancing again. It’s a jarring change from the introspective “Let it All Out,” but it gets the crowd back into the groove of the show.
This energy carries the band through the end of the show until the encore performance of their hit “Crash My Car.”
From opening to closing track, the show felt like an ode to fans, but also like an exercise in passion and fun for the band. They’ve said many times that “I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore” was written as a way to shake the proverbial cobwebs off themselves as a group and to make music for the sake of making music, without expectations or intended messages. This tour was a direct reflection of that; no fear and no anxiety, just a love of live music.
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