Kid Bloom, otherwise known as Lennon Kloser, kicked off his Inner Light Tour at El Rey tonight, promoting his upcoming album, aptly titled “Inner Light.” Back in the fall, Kloser released his EP “Shaky Knees,” (read more about it in our interview here!) which included the darker points of his upcoming album. Tonight, the audience gets a taste of not only the EP, but also new songs set to release later this year.
The opener of tonight, Ava Maybee, comes on stage adorned in a white sheer gown topped with an array of rings on her hands. She greets the audience and begins her set, packed with pop-rock anthems and in-between conversations with the audience. During her set, Ava Maybee does not forget who she’s performing for, asking us if we’ve had a toxic ex-lover or talk about her next song that was “a lot more depressing.” She put on a show, rocking around the stage and jamming with her bandmates.
After the 30 minute break, it’s finally showtime. Kid Bloom appears out of the darkness with an Inner Light baseball cap covering his face – ready to start the night. The photographers and I scramble, getting our cameras ready to shoot the next three songs.
What’s special about this night is the celebration of “Inner Light.” Kid Bloom is ecstatic to show his fans the new material he’s about to release, shown in the energy he and his band bring on stage. The new songs feel funkier and groovier than Kid Bloom’s current discography.In regard to his new songs, Kid Bloom presented us with a warning, “Good luck!” This is the first concert in a long time where I’ve seen a crowd have this much energy. They erupt after every word Bloom says and throw back the energy he gives. Kid Bloom went through his new songs seamlessly, laying out his emotions and opening up to us with lyrics like, “I’m just a backseat driver” and “When the breeze cuts through me and the leaves start turning brown / Should I be someone else this year?”
When the breeze cuts through me / and the leaves start turning brown / Should I be someone else this year?
“How to Breathe” by Kid Bloom
One thing that stuck with me the most was how appreciative Kid Bloom was during the show. He tells us that his dad and friends were here tonight, watching him perform the first show of his national tour. In between sets, Bloom says a few things to his dad such as, “I can’t believe it either,” in reference to the energetic crowd.
After Kid Bloom wraps up his unreleased material, the night took a turn back to his most popular discography with his greatest hits. Released at the beginning of his career in 2016, Kid Bloom sings about a complicated love and protecting himself on”I Kissed A Girl, and She Kissed Me.” Kid Bloom also played “Hold In, Hold On,” one of his more groovier songs about getting over a lover.
Kid Bloom thanks us all before playing his final song. As he closes the night, I feel my high school self screaming with joy as she hears her favorite singer play the soundtrack of her days. Nothing is better than listening to the romantic indie music that rocked the bedroom pop, Tyler, the Creator 2016 era. As the final note plays, we holler and plead for an encore, but sadly, our wishes are not heard. I leave the theater feeling nostalgic and glance up at the theater’s blinding lights and illuminated board as it promotes a new artist, leaving Kid Bloom in the past. I hope to take Kid Bloom’s new material with me and create lasting memories from tonight’s nostalgic experience.
Check out Kid Bloom’s new music below!
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