Loren Kramar at the Lower Third
Music is always abundant in Soho, and tonight the Lower Third plays host to the delicate vocals of LA’s Loren Kramar. A small but impassioned group gathers in the intimate space as an enchanting drum beat lures them closer to the stage. Kramar floats into the room with an ethereal energy, wrapping the crowd around his finger.
Glovemaker opens the show and it is incandescent. Smooth guitar and jazzy piano take the lead as Kramar lets his voice run up and down the scale with impressive ease. He is clearly comfortable onstage, fluid in his movements and not afraid to let his features shine with raw emotion. I’m a Slut picks up the pace – the playful lyrics and cabaret-esque performance are expertly entertaining, earning choruses of “Slut!” from the swaying room. Like a Lover, up next, soars and swells like a ballad, but makes sure to maintain the hypnotic beat that pulses throughout the night.
Kramar consistently laughs and converses with the audience between each tune, but snaps back easily into more of an artist persona. When in this zone he is dramatic, punchy, vibrant and commands attention. Yet when it fades, his switch back feels totally authentic. He jokes about his statement necklace and being American before giving profuse thanks to people for coming out. His genuine disbelief that Londoners, from all the way across the pond, made the effort to come out tonight, is very sweet.
He introduces 15 Years as a ballad and this hits the nail on the head. Its rise is cinematic and his voice seeps with passion and emotion. Gay Angels, a heart-rending piece about struggles with internalised homophobia, is a lesson in musical storytelling. Coupled with an improvised extended outro, it proves a clear highlight on the setlist. “Keep going for a bit”, is what he tells his band and they oblige as he riffs freely. Another highlight has to be the breakdown at the end of No Man. Kramar’s band of four have been spectacular all night, and they really get to show off here.
There’s been a soulful spark in the air for the whole concert, and Kramar knows exactly how to finish it off properly – ending with Hollywood Blvd. A theatrical song, it closes a beautiful night with style.
Talitha Stowell
Photos: Virginie Viche
For further information and future events visit Loren Kramar’s website here.
Watch the video for the single Gay Angels here:
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