Concert Recap: LYLVC in Jacksonville, NC (February 9, 2024)

As a fan of local/regional music, there are few things that compare to getting to know certain artists from around your area and seeing their musical growth and professional progression in real time right before your eyes – whether it’s a single/EP release that was super successful, a tour offer, or a combination of things that brought them to a higher level, there’s a certain sense of pride that comes with being able to say you’ve supported an artist from an early stage in their career. Earlier this month, I felt that exact sentiment at LYLVC’s headlining show at Hooligans Live in Jacksonville, NC – the Raleigh-based alternative metal band had a HUGE year last year between the release of their debut EP Perfect Drug and various touring opportunities, and they wasted no time in riding the momentum into 2024 and showing that they’re a force to be reckoned with in the music sphere.

LYLVC’s headlining show in their home away from home wasn’t without a solid and eclectic support lineup, with the opening artist being The Adam Hill Band. Hailing from Pink Hill, the band had a bit of a throwback sound in comparison to the rest of the bill – with a southern rock foundation and more country-focused sensibilities, Hill and his band’s performance was more laid-back than typical modern rock shows, but still musically engaging enough to not be sleep-inducing. Their arrangements were guitar-driven, with Hill having the opportunity to solo and improvise at every turn. The rhythm section was in the pocket the entire time and was able to hold the songs down, but it was clear that Hill and his guitar abilities were meant to be the main focus of the set, which was reasonable given his well-versed mix of shredding and southern-style strumming. As the show-opener, they got the job done and did it well, and they’re another band around the area to keep an eye on.

Direct support for LYLVC came from Heathensun, another regional band from North Carolina and frequent visitor of Hooligans. Truth be told, I’ve seen this band several times over the past year and never had a bad time, and this show was no exception – between their Limp Bizkit-inspired music and highly entertaining stage banter and crowd interaction, they always put on a great show, regardless of if they’re headlining or supporting. One of the consistent highlights of their set is during their closing track, “4 Kings,” when most of the band (minus the drummer) performs in the pit with the audience, which is one of the strongest notes to end a set on. While the band is searching for a new drummer, touring fill-in Sterling Siegfried did a fantastic job on the kit and matches the energy of the rest of the band very well, and it was a great decision to bring him into the fold for this show and the tours they have coming up this year. Additionally, getting to interview the band before the show was a ton of fun as well – Heathensun also had an eventful 2023, so it was great being able to ask about their achievements and aspirations. When I was getting familiarized with the local bands here a couple years ago, they were one of the first groups that caught my attention, so they’ve been on my radar for a while and to say this interview was a long time coming is a bit of an understatement. If you live in the Carolinas or if they’re on tour anywhere near where you are, you definitely shouldn’t miss out on the chance to see them.

When LYLVC hit the stage, everyone in the audience immediately inched closer to the stage in anticipation, and the band gave that same energy in return from the jump – something the band was very excited about when I interviewed them this past fall before their tour with Pop Evil and Fame on Fire was the elevation of their onstage production along with the new music they’ve been working on throughout the year, and both of those things were on full display during this headlining show. One of the best parts of this show and having LYLVC as a headliner was the fact that they had the time to really show off their stage visuals and play so much music that they wouldn’t be able to in a supporting position – not only did they play their entire Perfect Drug EP (minus “Broken Promises”) and their new single “Crawl Space,” but fans got the chance to hear some new songs that haven’t been officially released yet, such as the hard-hitting set opener “Barely Human,” the upbeat and poppy “Paper Dreams,” the radio-ready “Unstable,” and the moody “Starless,” just to name a few.

The fact that the audience was able to hear almost an entire album’s worth of new material was well worth the price of admission, and to see how the new songs translate in a live setting both sonically and aesthetically was another treat in and of itself – while there’s a clear musical discrepancy between the new stuff and the tracks from the EP, they still mix together very well, with a good example being the transition between “Barely Human” and “Heirloom,” or even going from “Dangerous” to “Perfect Drug.” As far as the visuals go, it seems that the band has been able to solidify an aesthetic identity that matched their sonic one, one that's thematically very technology-centric, which is really fitting given vocalist Alyse Zavala's background as a computer hacker. LYLVC has always been a must-see band with their wicked energetic stage presence, but to see the full show come together with the lighting and the video monitors is just awesome.

Like I said earlier, LYLVC has been proving that they’re a force to be reckoned with in the active rock community, and this headline set felt like a glimpse into an exciting next chapter of this fantastic band. The new music sounds incredible live, making me even more excited to hear what the official studio cuts sound like, and it just feels like the band is on the verge of something huge. Everyone always teases that there are “big things coming soon,” but LYLVC’s an example of the real deal. The hard work they’ve put in to get to this point and beyond is on full display, and as a fan watching from the sidelines, it’s great to see it start to pay off in a big way. They have some of the industry’s best backing them, and if the past year was any indication, the momentum definitely appears to be on their side, and I can’t state enough how excited I am to see what the future has in store for them. 

LYLVC Setlist:

1. Barely Human
2. Heirloom
3. Undertow
4. House of Cards
5. XXX
6. Crawl Space
7. Unstable
8. Starless
9. Doomsday
10. Dangerous
11. Perfect Drug
12. Paper Dreams
13. Into Nothing

Encore

14. Papercut (Linkin Park cover)

I feel extremely lucky to live in an area that artists like LYLVC call home, and I hope to have many more chances to see them live. They haven’t been able to play in North Carolina very often because of what their tour schedules have been like, so it was nice to see them show the Jacksonville area and the Hooligans Live community some love by having their first headlining show of the year here, and one can hope this will continue to be their home away from home. Much like with every band I’ve come across from around here, they’ll always have my support and I hope they continue to have even greater success this year. So to wrap things up, whenever they’re back on tour and if LYLVC happens to be playing near you, drop everything, go see them, and thank me later.

Support the bands by checking out the links below:

- The Adam Hill Band: https://adamhillmusic.net/

- Heathensun: https://heathensun.com/

- LYLVC: https://lylvc.com/

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