A full house of screaming fans welcomed Laura Pergolizzi to Buckhead Theatre on Feb. 28 for the 17th stop of her “Heart to Mouth” tour. Pergolizzi, who goes by the stage name LP, performed a flawless show — a combination of incredible vocal work, a phenomenal live band and mesmerizing stage lighting.
LP burst onto the stage with her powerful opener “Dreamcatcher.” LP’s stage presence was commanding yet natural. She strut the length of the stage casually, catching items from the audience — once a sailor’s hat, which she put on, and another time, a Russian flag. The energy of the show never waned and the transitions between songs were seamless.
LP’s used voice techniques like vocal fry and compression in a way that personalized every notes she sang, andinjectsed individuality into every song. A large part of what draws people to LP’s music is the serene ambiance she creates. During the concert, the panels behind her reflected trees in a forest, giving the stage a bohemian vibe. The panels changed colors to match each song; for example, turquoise and gold hues accompanied a more mellow track, while reds and oranges paired with a more aggressive one.
I was happily surprised to see LP cover other artists’ songs during her set, and she did justice to Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire” and The Rolling Stones’ “Paint it Black.” In the latter, LP sang in a higher key than the original but still replicated Mick Jagger’s rockstar swagger. After 40 minutes, LP left the stage with her band without having performed her most popular songs, “Muddy Waters” and “Lost on You.” A chant began in the front row and spread to the back of the 8,000-square-foot theater — no one would leave without hearing those two tracks. After about 4 minutes, LP returned with her band to perform these crowd favorites, even tossing in a performance of “Special,” a track off of her new album.
At the opening notes of “Lost on You,” the crowd erupted with passionate cheers. The song has garnered diamond, platinum and gold record statuses across Europe and boasts the most views on LP’s official YouTube channel, clocking in at over 200 million. The live rendition of the song was unreal; she belted out long phrases of incredibly high notes, showing off her remarkable breath control. She even demonstrated her talent for whistling. When the lights eventually went out onstage after the encore, people still wanted more, but the show was over.
Georgi Kay, an up-and-coming Australian act, opened for LP with tracks from her indie-pop album, “Where I Go to Disappear.” She used a beat pad to create trance-like electronic sounds while she sang, and her silky vocals paired with the rumbling bass and psychedelic synths made for a blissful experience.
At the end of the show, the lobby filled with bright-eyed fans, who cheerily exited the concert hall. The resounding response in Buckhead was that of solid approval. LP had delivered.
Noah Whitfield (20C) is from Johannesburg, South Africa, majoring in creative writing and minoring in Spanish. His interests include making music, writing scripts and watching movies. Contact Whitfield at noah.christopher.whitfield@emory.edu.
