Words and Photos by Alder Boutin
“Are you guys Philly good tonight?” Lyn Lapid asked the packed house at Brooklyn Bowl to groans and laughter. “I just came up with that.”
Lyn’s Sunday Philadelphia show marked the halfway point of her Buzzkill World Tour’s North American run. Cracking dad jokes and sipping tea, Lyn accentuated her vocals with her ukulele and piano playing. Her bright red tanktop and black vest matched the crimson worn by her band members and adorning her microphone stand. Many of the jumping teenage girls in the crowd had also gotten the outfit color memo.
“This song is about when you see a beautiful, gorgeous stranger in public, and they’re so beautiful and gorgeous that they make your heart beat fast,” Lyn introduced her song “poster boy.” She then selected a particularly enthusiastic man named Miguel from the crowd and dubbed him the night’s “poster boy,” dedicating the song to him.
During a break in Lyn’s set, “Into You” by Ariana Grande blasted suddenly from the speakers. Lyn’s supporting act, Fig, and a crew member strutted onto the stage. They gave a mini fashion show decked out in Lyn’s tour merchandise.
Lyn didn’t miss the opportunity to highlight her Filipino culture when someone shouted “mahal kita” (meaning “I love you.”) “I hear my people in the crowd,” she acknowledged. “Who’s Filipino here? Raise your hand.” She also managed to slip in another pun. “Philly… Filipino… Philly-pino,” she laughed.
Three smiling corn plushies dangled from Fig’s microphone stand during her opening set. “Questionnaire” was a standout ditty about sending not one, not two, but eight crushes a Google Form – all at once. Fig also showed her data-oriented side with a quick round of trivia that gave everyone an unexpected geography lesson. Correct answers from the crowd won coveted prizes: ramen and a LEGO set.
If you catch a show on the Buzzkill World Tour, you might just get a shoutout from Lyn Lapid for holding up creative signs or even bowling in the alleys next to the stage – depending on your venue’s amenities.
Loudspeaker Collective 