THE PAPER KITES CAPTURE THE HEARTS OF LOS ANGELES
THE WILTERN - LOS ANGELES, CA
Tuesday night, May 26, The Paper Kites officially brought their IF YOU GO THERE, I HOPE YOU FIND IT TOUR to a close at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. The US/Canada leg of their tour spanned nineteen stops throughout May, all aimed to celebrate the release of their newest album, If You Go There I Hope You Find It.
Opening up the evening was none other than Canadian folk artist Donovan Woods. His playful banter intertwined with his melancholic melodies, proving to be the perfect recipe to win the hearts of the crowd. There is something special about an artist that can pair a painstaking ballad with a perfectly witty joke – a trait that seems to be Woods’ specialty.
The intermittent chatters that echoed off the walls of the Wiltern came to a halt when the lights began to dim. A single spotlight appeared – The Paper Kites, gathered around a single microphone – emerged with it. An angelic, acoustic rendition of "Morning Gum" began to play, signaling the start of the show.
It took no time for frontman Sam Bentley to break the confines of the stage and immerse himself in the crowd. Accompanied by keyboardist/guitarist Christina Lacy and guitarist/banjo specialist David Powys, the trio gathered around a makeshift lamppost nestled in the heart of the crowd. An acoustic rendition of "Deep (In The Plans We Made)" transported us away from the noise of Los Angeles and into a backyard, surrounded by old friends.
One characteristic that sets this group apart from the rest is their live performances. They have mastered the craft of captivating the crowd, from the first note to the last, to the point of utter stillness. This show proved to be no different. All eyes were superglued to the stage, not daring to move a muscle so as to not miss a moment. The sea of fans was frozen in time, simply relishing in the music that has come to mean so much to them. I was no exception. The moment I heard the first notes of "When The Flame Turns Blue" echo through the room, I stopped in my tracks. My camera fell, and I was hypnotized by the song that made me cherish this group so much.
The show concluded with a crowd-chanting encore consisting of "When The Lavender Blooms" along with the ever-loved "Bloom." At the strum of the last note, the crowd came to a standing ovation, one that was well-deserved. Fans of all ages, eager to show their love, chanted louder and louder as the group took their final bows of the IF YOU GO THERE, I HOPE YOU FIND IT TOUR.
