Coin’s not afraid of Florida anymore

The indie alternative band from Tennessee started their Florida leg of the “I’m Not Afraid of Tour Anymore” tour, or what I like to call “COINCHELLA,” last night at Jannus Live in St. Petersburg, Florida. Like many of the coin shows I have attended in the past, there was no lack of energy from the band or the fan packed venue. Aidan Bissett’s starting performance, featuring two new songs, “Reading Into It” and “Dance Around It,”  perfectly set the energy that would follow the rest of the night. COIN started the show with “It’s Hard to Care About Everything,” which is the first song on their new album I’m not Afraid of Music Anymore. As the night continued, they played songs including “Chapstick,” “Asking For A Friend,” and “Slack.”

Chase Lawrence, the lead singer of the band, mentions that they’re not afraid of their discography anymore and led into some older songs including “Boyfriend,” “Run,” and “Hannah.” One of my favorite things about COIN shows, no matter how many I go to, is that there is always something new. In the song “Hannah,” they added a beautiful melody change which had the entire crowd in awe.  After speaking to a fellow fan, Ameliah Knopp, she mentioned how they always take old songs and rearrange them into something new which makes the experience for returning fans always fresh and exciting. 

At around 10:05 is when the band usually leads into the song “Let it All Out (10:05).” At this time Chase Lawrence started speaking about how Florida shows always feel like a hometown show, and referenced the pre Covid shows back in 2020. He talked about the feeling of uncertainty at the time, but how it didn’t stop fans from coming out and supporting. At this point it was around 10:08, but that didn’t matter because 10:05 is all the time. They then of course started playing “Let it All Out” which is a personal favorite of mine.

The rest of the show had such great energy. Even the traffic cone from Orlando’s 2022 show made a guest appearance in the crowd.They played “I Would,” which wasn’t on the original set list, and for their surprise song they played “Into My Arms.” They closed out the show with “Leaving A Light On,” but then came back and performed two encore songs “Strawberry Jam,” and “Crash My Car.”

COIN shows have always been some of my favorite shows and that’s not only because of the infectious energy from the band, but also because of all the fans. COIN shows always feel like a family reunion to me, and that’s because of all the amazing people I have met at these shows, including my best friends. My first COIN show, I only knew maybe five songs, and I was invited by some friends the week before. After my first show, I have not missed a Florida stop on their tours. So, take this as your sign to buy tickets and go to their Orlando or Fort Lauderdale shows that are coming up, because I promise you will have the time of your life. Don’t be afraid of COIN anymore. 

Strike Out,

Orlando

Writer: Elizabeth Fernandez

Editor: Nina Rueda

All Images Courtesy of: Elizabeth Fernandez