LVVRS singer-guitarist River Gibson sees a growing rock scene in his hometown, Lafayette.
Saturday, LVVRS will appear at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, playing for the first time at a Pelicans basketball game. On April 29, the band makes its Festival International de Louisiane debut.
“At primetime Saturday night,” Gibson said of the latter appearance. “Festival International is legendary. Everybody goes every year, and it grows every year. It’s an honor to be part of it.”
Licensing music to film and television is another area where LVVRS has made headway, especially in the realm of reality dating programs. LVVRS songs have appeared in Netflix’s “The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On” and USA Network’s “Temptation Island.”
“They place our music in party scenes, because it’s got that pop energy and that dance and rock feel,” Gibson said.
Friday, LVVRS will be home in Lafayette to play at Shobox. Gibson sees a growing rock scene in his hometown, one helped by Shobox, a new music venue in Lafayette, and the work LVVRS has done since its formation in 2018.
“It’s probably the closest thing to a rock club that we have,” Gibson said of Shobox.
Lafayette’s earlier lack of a rock scene compelled LVVRS to find audiences outside of Acadiana.
“But I’ve noticed that rock music is coming back, especially in the past year,” Gibson said. “Every time we play, it’s bigger and bigger crowds. We also see younger bands popping up. Eighteen- and 19-year-olds are playing rock music.”
LVVRS’ popular songs include “Iconic,” a representative sample of the band’s pop-rock repertoire. It’s been heard on SiriusXM Hits 1 alongside such contemporary stars as Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran and Lizzo.
“We play ‘Iconic’ at the end of every show,” Gibson said. “People expect that. It’s a highlight with mega energy and everybody’s involved.”
LVVRS released a music video for “Iconic” in 2020, shortly before the coronavirus pandemic closed music venues. Even during the pandemic, when there were no gigs to play, the band continued working and rehearsing.
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