In an extremely last-minute change of plans, I bought a ticket for COIN’s Rainbow Dreamland Tour at House of Blues in Orlando, FL… one week prior to the show. While I had previously convinced myself I didn’t really want to spend the money and go to the concert, I’m so glad I changed my mind. Wanderwild, mazie and COIN each gave incredible performances, and it was a great reminder of why concerts are some of my favorite events to attend.
Wanderwild was the first opener. I hadn’t heard any of their music before this concert, but I thought they sounded great; their indie-rock performance was ideal for setting the vibe for the rest of the show.
I‘d been keeping up with mazie and her music for around a month, but I didn’t realize she was one of the two openers until looking into buying the ticket again in November. While I adore COIN’s music, mazie being an opener is what ultimately convinced me to buy the ticket, and she didn’t disappoint in the slightest. Her alt-pop songs present themselves as happy and upbeat but are accompanied by lyrics that reflect feelings such as loneliness or anxiety. Mazie’s excitement to be there was evident, and this energy was contagious. I danced my way through her entire set, loved the props she interacted with on stage and think she did a fantastic job as the opener right before COIN.
While the concert featured songs from COIN’s entire discography, there was a definite focus on songs from Dreamland, which was released in 2020. Their set opened with the first song on this album, “Into My Arms,” which set the tone for the rest of the show: high-energy, with perfect visuals accompanying each song. The aesthetics of this concert were one of my favorite details; the transitions from songs on different albums were executed flawlessly, but you’d only really notice the slight changes if you knew which album each song was from.
I was really excited to hear several songs from Rainbow Mixtape, which is hands-down one of my favorite albums of all time. In my opinion, this album perfectly captures the heartbreak of moving on, but feel-good songs like “Sprite” emphasize the importance of staying close to the people you love. While they only performed three songs from this album, they each represent Rainbow Mixtape well and fit in with the mood created by the songs performed from Dreamland and other albums.
Needless to say, this show only reaffirmed my love for the band, and for concerts in general. One of my favorite feelings is knowing you’re surrounded by a group of people who are all connected by an artist’s work. Singing along to songs that have gotten me through not-so-great times (“Let It All Out (10:05),” I’m looking at you) with others who understand how significant those songs can be created an amazing atmosphere. I highly recommend seeing your favorite artists live if you get the chance; it’s truly an incredible experience.