COIN Tour Diary: pt 4
by liz watts + emma watts
••••••
Emma Watts
Dallas tx • 6.7.17 + Bentonville AR 6.28.17
You know when you’ve condensed a big hunk of important events into one package in your brain, stored it all away and kind of forgotten about the details that made it what it is today, in your current daily life? And then you start to replay these scenes, and it like, gives you butterflies and chills and tears? That’s me thinking about my “journey” of loving COIN, as cheesy as it sounds. So, here’s my detailed story of when I discovered a band I hold most dear to my heart - who’s given me some of the most exciting and memorable times I’ve had in my 19 years of life, lead me to amazing friends from across the country, written lyrics that are so relevant to myself that I can’t help but reflect on my own life each time I hear them, so much more.
So back in the day, the cool thing to do on your One Direction fan account was to make an share 8tracks playlists (LOL). The playlists were themed and based on a certain member, full of songs that reminded you of them. I remember sitting in bedroom after school listening to a Harry playlist that a girl I followed on twitter had made, when the song Honey by COIN came on. I have like, a super obsessive quality when it comes to new music I like. The “I’ll listen to this flippin’ song one instrument at a time” type of thing. I listened to Honey on the bus the entire ride for quite some time, but never even thought to listen to any more of COIN’s music. Which means I kind of dropped them when I found the next song to obsess over (thankfully my music habits have changed since then.) That next school year (2015) I enrolled in a photography class at a college to take up half my school day. I started following loads of photographers on Instagram to get some creative juices flowing, and came across David O’Donohue’s work. I did my creepin’ and saw COIN all over his feed. Once he posted the music video for Run is when I REALLY started hoppin’ on the COIN train, and went through that 'this is my favorite band ever i must know ALL the lyrics and ALL the facts ASAP’ phase that we all go through.
I ended up convincing Liz to go see them open for Bad Suns in Dallas TX on November 13th of last year, “It’s not a phase! I love them for good this time!”. It also worked out perfectly since we already had tickets to LANY on the 12th in Dallas, so we had a nice lil trip. That entire day leading up to the show is a blur now, but i do remember being annoyed from Dallas traffic and getting to the venue right when doors were opening, which made me kind of sad because that meant we’d be towards the back and not in the middle of all the fun. WRONG !
Inside the venue, which was once a movie theater, there were different levels for everyone to pile in to. We were at the front of the second tier with a perfect view of everything, while only being back about 10 or so rows of people - which really turned out to not matter at all. The room went from being full of anticipation and jitters, to immediate focus and surprise when COIN took the stage. Right after the first song was done, I heard the girl beside me, decked out in Bad Suns merch, yell to her friend “I was NOT expecting that”. I wasn’t either. Of course you’d imagine a band with music like this would be fun on stage, but COIN has that type of energy and stage presence you tell everyone about any chance you get, that gives you chills even thinking about even months later.
The feeling I had watching COIN perform was so familiar, but so new. Sometimes you see a band put on a show, give a little smile and wave to those few lucky people in their field of vision, and although you go home happy with the show, you’re still secretly wishing you could've snatched a set list or touched the hand of your favorite member. Then sometimes you find a band that’s different. With COIN, they make you feel like such an important part of the show, almost like they couldn't go on without you. You’re not thinking about how you wish that drum stick or guitar pick was yours, because you feel lucky to be dancing next to people who are feeling what you're feeling. I left this show ridiculously happy and really looking forward to the next time I’d see them, whenever that would be.
The idea of this COIN Tour Diary jumped out of me when the release of How Will You Know If You Never Try? was here. Sitting in my bedroom that night, listening to this new music for the first time and hearing these stories unfold is when it hit me. I’ve always loved and appreciated music, but right then I started thinking, Wow.. I’m sitting here in Oklahoma, listening to someone from across the country pour out their feelings to music they came up with in their head?? It’s kind of hard to explain, but I’ll never know exactly what an artist went through in the process of making an album and deciding on what they’re wanting to portray, since they have their own set of memories and scenes in their mind. But what I love so much about music, is that you get to make up your own world to live in while listening to these sounds and relate it all back to yourself, your own memories. Kind of trailing off here, but growing up and even until just 3 years ago, I’d always had the assumption that people in bands are have it all - constantly confident in themselves, never struggle, can whip up a hit song just like that, etc. Since being in the music industry the past few years, and getting to have actual conversations with bands, I’ve come to realize - we’re all just alike! We’re all trying and we’re all just people. Your favorite artists have their fears and their struggles, and I think most of the time we forget that they’re just like you. Thinking about all of that after this album was released made me respect this band 100x even more than I already did. Putting your work out there, whether it be music, art, poems and everything in between - it can be a really nerve wracking thing, and I think that’s something the person on the receiving end forgets about sometimes. HWYKIYNT is an album I knew I’d hold close to my heart, so I wanted others to be able to share their thoughts and experiences about COIN during their first headline tour. I wanted this tour diary to showcase the amazing power of live music through personal stories, videos and photos shared by fans.
I wasn’t sure what the feedback would be like, if people would actually be interested in this idea - but I’m so thankful for what it came to be. As we started getting submissions sent in, we couldn’t help but get emotional and excited for our shows to come. We headed to Dallas, TX for the show on June 7th, I’d get chills thinking about what the night would hold. And that’s the power of music Y’ALL. The sold out show was moved to the outdoor stage of Club Dada, I wasn't too excited about the that 100+ degree weather but! What can ya do. We all walked in a line from the dark venue to the bright outdoors and found our spots for the show. We were surrounded by a ton of boys, which truth be told, I was expecting the crowd to be a sea of girls with a few boys here and there. The twin boys standing beside me made conversation with the group of boys infront of them, and talked about how they jam out to COIN on the daily. There was a bumpin’ playlist being played as a few workers shuffled around, putting the finishing touches on stage. Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears For Fears started playing and I remember looking around to watch as many faces as a I could sing along to this classic. The sun was setting and gusts of wind were finally coming around, making everyone lift their arms and let out an ”aaaah”. Moments later joan took the stage, leaving jaws dropped and bodies bouncing within the first half of their opening song. The row of warm colored lights on either side of the stage and the dimming blue sky with trees swaying in the wind was the perfect scene, and I could’t stop smiling as I watched the people around me cheer for their new favorites. Joan finished their impressive set and the crowd squished even tighter.
The sun was completely down when the larger than life tombstone was put on stage, and the neon lights in the shape of a hand switched on. My heart was pounding when I heard squeals of excitement and saw lights swirling around the center of the tombstone. One of the twins beside me screams “I love you Chase” and flashlights from phones turn on, acting as a guide for the guys to walk on stage. My eyes focus on the bright red jacket Chase is sporting while his back is turned to the crowd, slowly lifting his arms and facing the neon light. A wave of sound erupts, stage lights flash bright, and I'm yelling the opening lyrics of Feeling and nothing else matters. This instant feeling of joy as I watched the guys do what makes them happy was a reminder that live music is truly a blessing! I’ll never forget when the sound blew out during the 2nd song, Atlas. The crowd continued on with the song without any hesitation, as Chase bounced around the stage kind of looking like a lost puppy, then starting it over again. No biggie! A certain point of the show i always replay in my head is during Run, when Chase gets real close to the crowd and everyone raises their arms together at the oooOOOOH part (2:28 to be EXACT). Good stuff. A memory that never fails to get me teary eyed is from when they played Malibu 1992. I’ve never heard a crowd sing so strongly yet gently like this before, and I feel so lucky to have been there. I could go on and on describing how great each song was to hear live, but it still wouldn’t do them justice. Once the show ended, you could still feel the buzzing energy floating around.
Later on we met Ryan and Chase and talked about the tour diary a lil bit. Not to be dramatic but like.. these are THE sweetest of sweets out there. Sometimes when I’m meeting a person for the first time, it’s tough to be my complete self right off the bat, you know how nerves get the best of ya at times! This was totally opposite though. They make you feel as if they’ve known you forever, with a genuine and heart-warming hug before you can even say your name. I can only imagine how tiring it would be, mentally and physically, to keep up with their always welcoming and positive attitudes towards every soul they meet, especially after such long days. It’d be so easy for them to just go through the motions; hug, picture, autograph, and on to the next - but the effort they put into having a real conversation with whoever they meet is so special and uncommon, and it's really something I admire.
The last night of tour rolled around, and we made our way to Bentonville, AR for it. I loved everything about this day. We went with some of our good friends Katie and Lacey ,and in short, this show felt like a big warm blanket that’s just come from the dryer. I saw a lot of familiar faces in the crowd and even some people from here in Tulsa. We made friends with the group of people next to us, and talked each others ears off until the show began. Fast forward to the bridge of Are We Alone, and I’m just goin’ off. This was the first time in literally 2 years that I’ve actually jumped up and down at a show (I had surgery on both of my knees in 2015 so jumping is a no go for me lol), and that’s when you know it’s a good show y’all! From the time of our first COIN show in November ’16 to now, I’ve been able to make some dear friends because of COIN through the internet. (THE INTERNET!) Later into the show, the chorus of Hannah ( aka the song everyone was dying to hear this tour) was being played out of nowhere. Liz looked over at me and yelled that we had to FaceTime our friend Hannah Rubin, all the way over in New Hampshire, to hear this. I whipped out my phone and the smiling face on the other end reminded me of how thankful I am for music and silly websites like Twitter and Instagram that have lead me to real life friendships, all from the mutual liking of a band. I’m so thankful for the past few months we’ve worked on this diary and for all of the experiences that were shared by new friends that made us feel like we were right there with them. These are memories I’ll end up sharing with my kids one day, and moments I hope whoever reads this diary find joy and inspiration in. It’s been amazing to see COIN and the love surrounding them turn in to what it is today, and I can’t wait to keep being here for more. All the love for this band of lovely hearts.
(p.s. I made a collage video from the Dallas show, watch it below ;-) )
Liz Watts
Dallas tx • 6.7.17 + Bentonville AR 6.28.17
I distinctly remember the day that my sister, Emma, told me about COIN. I remember noting how she promised that they were gonna be one of her favorite bands. One of our favorite bands. At that point in my life, things were crazy busy and I was 100% not ready to get attached to another band. I didn't think much about them again until a few months later when they released tour dates and Emma begged to go to see them open for Bad Suns in Dallas. We ended up covering that show for another publication and that, folks, is when I was ~truly~ converted. From then on out, they held a special place in my heart. COIN's live show was absolutely captivating and their songs quickly became a daily listen for me.
As the release of the new album approached, things got more and more exciting and I was totally on board when Emma came to me with the initial idea of doing the "COIN Tour Diary." When we started these diaries, we decided that this was for us. It was for the fans. It wasn't necessarily for the COIN boys or their approval- it was important to us that we did something that would bring together fans in a more unique way. Over the past few years, we've seen how everything turns into a competition when it comes to fans. People are fighting for barricade, fighting for a follow, or just fighting for attention. One thing we noticed about COIN fans was that they seemed to be different- there was a certain glow surrounding this band and this music and these fans.
When I read the first COIN Tour Diary submission, I literally burst into tears. Live music is something that is so special to me and being able to read about so many personal experiences made me feel like I was at every show this tour. It's so beautiful to see how each and every fan can be touched in a nearly indescribably way. That being said, this lil journey has been so heart warming! We got to meet so many beautiful people thanks to this tour, both in Dallas and in Bentonville.
The Dallas show was up first, and we were sooo ready. We spend a lot (I mean a loooot) of time in that great state, and we are no strangers to how hard Texas fans go off at shows. The venue was packed and the energy was incredible. The crowd was buzzing with anticipation and our pals in 'joan' absolutely killed it during their opening set. It was so great to finally meet Steven and Alan and it was sooo fun to see how many people were totally diggin' their vibes. That in itself got me even more excited to follow the success of those guys and do whatever we can to support them!
When COIN finally came out, I had that all too familiar rush of excitement. Even after attending well over a hundred concerts, festivals, and coffee shop shows throughout the past few years, those first few steps that a band takes onstage never get old. Whether it's a band I have never seen before or one I have seen seven times already, my heart races just the same. I get to remind myself that for the next hour, it's me and them and the music. For just a but, nothing else matters.
The Dallas show was even more special to me because it was the first time seeing COIN after I had really grown attached to their music. Like many others have said, a distinctly memorable part of the show was "Malibu 1992." The speakers had blown out a few times and there were some major technical difficulties, but the crowd made up for what the speakers lacked. I was in complete and utter awe. Everyone was singing so loudly that you could barely hear Chase. These are the moments I live for. The fact that an entire sea of mostly strangers can be unified through music is absolutely incredible. That feeling of togetherness carried on throughout the night and I couldn't even begin to imagine what the boys onstage felt.
When the show ended, the venue was filled with excited chatter which eventually followed Ryan and Chase outside. The sidewalk was packed and I watched intently as both boys met fan after fan, and greeted them with the most authentic smiles and hugs. My jaw literally dropped when I saw Chase perfectly recite the names of a group of friends, know people just from their twitter name, and recognize fans that he's met before. There is rarely a band that has such a genuine love and interest in their fans, and COIN, my friends, are the perfect example. When it was time to meet Ryan and Chase, their love was overwhelming! News of the COIN Tour Diary had been buzzing around and it was fun to meet the boys and see their reactions when we told them we were the creators of Honey Punch. There's nothin' like having support from the people you admire.
The weeks after Dallas that led up to Bentonville, the last show of tour, flew by. We got to hang out with some old concert friends before the show which was wonderful on its own, and another example of how music can bring together people who live miles and miles away. The show that night was beautiful and the crowd was wild- in a good way. My favorite part was when they played a little bit of "Hannah." I shed some tears as we rushed to FaceTime our girl Hannah Rubin- a beautiful soul and friend we wouldn't even know if it weren't for this band. After the show, we chatted with friends, said our farewells to the COIN boys, and left feeling nothing but joy.
Although music is on my mind most of the time, as in all the time, this whole experience gave me a new perspective and a new found gratitude for music, the people that make it, and the people that simply love it.
Yasmin Ettobi
neumos • Seattle, WA • 6.20.17
Everytime I see COIN live I think to myself, “wow...there is no possible way that they’ll be able to top that,” and everytime I see them, they prove me wrong. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing COIN in concert four times, from the summer of 2015 when the opened for WALK THE MOON to this summer, where they played their very first headlining (and sold out!) show in Seattle.
Since I didn’t have to worry about school, I was determined to spend ALL DAY waiting in line, and that I did. A couple friends and I arrived to the venue at 8:30 AM and were ecstatic to find ourselves first in line! More girls joined the line around 11:00 and we all quickly became friends.
Nothing particularly exciting happened until 3 in the afternoon, when COIN’s van finally rolled up. Peering around the corner of the venue, my friends and I kept sneaking glances at the band unloading their gear and hanging out. My friend Anika (who’s just a very emotional person) took ONE LOOK at Chase and started sobbing. We were all laughing hysterically, and began laughing even harder when we saw Ryan walking towards us to see if she was alright. We affirmed that she was, and before he left, I handed him a letter that I had written the night before which was basically two pages full of me declaring my love for COIN.
Doors opened a couple hours later and we rushed in to claim our front row spots.
A R I Z O N A played first and absolutely killed it, despite me accidentally unplugging the lead mic during their first song.
Nothing on this planet could have possible prepared me for what was to come. I have never smiled, danced or cried as much as I did in the hour that COIN spent playing their hearts out. By the end of the night, I was tired, sore and sweaty, but that didn’t stop me from waiting 45 minutes to meet Chase and Ryan.
When I got the opportunity to talk to Chase after the show, I truly had no idea what to talk to him about, because what do you even say to a person who you’ve been looking up to for a whole two years of your life? Thankfully, Chase started the conversation by asking what my name was. As soon as I said “Yasmin,” his face lit up and he wrapped me up in the biggest hug. While we embraced, he told me that my letter had validated why he made music and how my words had truly meant the world to him.
After I was finished lowkey sobbing in Chase’s arms, I made my way over to Ryan. He was so incredibly kind to me as well, and told me how much he appreciated my letter.
Even as I write this one month later, I still get overwhelmed with love for the friends that I have made and the memories I have created through COIN. Like I said previously, at the moment I feel as though June 20th was the best day of my life, but I know that COIN will continue to astound me and make each show that I go to in the future the best day of my life. I absolutely cannot wait to see what the future holds for them!
Ariana Kimball
Club Dada • Dallas, TX • 6.7.17
Woke up to the chime of Malibu '92 at 7:15. After a slow morning drive we arrived at Club Dada at 9am and sat down behind about 20-25 people. Camping out consisted of one Mud mask, a few rounds of Spicy Uno, my set of watercolors I brought along, Beach House, protein bars, and a whole lotta nerves. When the tour van arrived, and Ryan stepped to use the bathroom, I got to show him the painting I whipped up while waiting in line. He said he loved it and he liked my shirt (it said "honey" on it) #playhoney2k17 and we got to waves and smiles from everyone- even joan. As they unloaded. When the time came to enter, we ran to the left side of the stage (this was planned) and got a perfect, arms length, front row exporience.
I got a bomb selfie with Steven (Joan) as they were setting up and heating them preform rocked my socks off. (Thanks Alan for laughing at all the things Evelyn and I muttered to you from front row)
Next thing I know I'm belting the lyrics to feeling with a perfect view of Joe, his fresh haircut, and a private performance of his feet. During the show, joe gave me a heart hand signal, and laughed when I told him he looked good in yellow.
Chase and I locked eye contact for a solid second while I pointed at him screaming "Maybe we can run!" Before he grabbed my hand and walked aside. Later, I looked over my shoulder and saw @jakedockins (a photographer me and my bestie admire from instagram) shooting the show! I waved at him and he smiled back at me through the music. Also, I really messed up the lyrics to It's a Trap but it was really funny so it's okay.
Malibu 1992 is my favorite song of the album, and I can never forget how amazing it felt to dance to the vibrations of the speaker I was pushed up against. Joe's smile as the song ended was almost as big as mine. I remember looking down at his setlist and panicking a little because there weren't as many songs left, but I also really wanted to shower.
After the show, I met Ryan who took the cutest Polaroid with me. "I love these things" -Ryan, taking a Polaroid.
Ryan said he loved my painting I gave him and was so so sweet and gave nice hugs. Chase recognized me from when we locked eye contact and also liked my shirt "Hey maybe we should play that next time". (#playhoney2k17) He wrote "YEEHAW" on my vinyl and we got the cutest bear hug picture. (My current lock screen)
When Joe finally came out, we were second to greet him. He was so sweet and kind and we took a Polaroid. While he was signing it, my friend said "Yeah she loves you. She was shouting at you the whole time it was pretty annoying" and then he was like "oh no. Here. Take my pick" he initialed the pick and I put it in my phone case so fast. He also said he liked my shirt.
I'm not quite sure the order of what happened next, but my friend and I met zach twice, (she gave him a flower and he was soo cute to her, like goals) ((also he was drinking La Croix. Shocker.)) and we went back to Joe again because he forgot to sign my vinyl. That's when he said they should play Honey and Evelyn told him "she's gonna be back again probably" and we also went back to chase who forgot to sign my vinyl too. (They only signed my setlist) Lastly, I picked a flower and gave it to Joe (sorry I kind of cut in line. I actually was about to leave I'm sorryyy) but I got this really cute video.
And finally, I got a hug (Joe's hair smells amazing??) and he returned my compliment on liking his converse (mine were yellow, so). I walked away so pleased with the air I had shared with them and I can't wait for them to come back. I miss them so much. <3
Katie Johnson + Lacey Farmer
record • bentonville, ar • 6.28.17
Kate Carpenter
record • bentonville, ar • 6.28.17
Lindsey Bolden
record • bentonville, ar • 6.28.17
Steven Rutherford
record • bentonville, ar • 6.28.17
Nadia Garcia
white oak music hall • houston, tx • 6.5. 17 + club dada • dallas, tx • 6.7.17
After forcing my two friends Destinee and Sam to wake up at 6am so I could drag them to my 9am doctor’s appointment in the Texas Medical Center, we sped on over to the White Oak Music Hall (where I saw and met COIN the year before) and claimed our spots in line at 11am. We waited in line and were joined by two other friends of mine until doors opened. Even though I’ve gotten barricade at plenty of shows and been to tons of concerts, I always get nervous and start picking at my nail polish right before the doors open. I was having a tiny breakdown in the line but I knew I’d be fine once we got inside the venue. The venue was cramped and ridiculously hot, just like it was the year before, but the discomfort faded as soon as joan got on stage! Steven and Alan, the two members of joan, gave an amazing performance that has gotten me super excited to hear all that they’re coming out with soon. About 15 minutes to half an hour later, COIN came on stage and one of my favorite experiences of the entire year began. They opened with Feeling, which I think is now one of my favorite songs by them just because I was so excited to be at the show. For the next hour or so, I would be screaming lyrics at the top of my lungs and jumping around to songs by one of my all-time favorite bands! It was a phenomenal show and I was so excited to do it all over again 2 days later in Dallas.
After the show ended, my friends and I went downstairs to meet Alan, Steven, and my favorite member of joan, Connor (who does photography and a lot of the behind the scenes stuff). We talked for a little while, took a great forehead picture, and went outside to meet COIN. When I walked up to Chase, the first thing he said to me was “didn’t we meet last year at Bad Suns?” which shocked me but also made me SO happy! He also complimented me on my socks. I asked him for a few pictures, got him to wish my friend Alexa from Florida a happy birthday, and then I let other people have their chance at meeting him while I went off to meet the other members of COIN! Ryan, the kindest man on the planet, also complimented me on my socks, wished Alexa a happy birthday, and took pictures with my friends and me. I didn’t get to meet Joe, but he did say howdy to us while packing up the band’s gear. Zach chatted with us and took a few pictures as well. By the time we had finished talking to Zach, most of the fans were gone, so I had gone up to Chase and told him how I planned on getting “HWYKIYNT?” tattooed on my side and if he could write it out for me. He wrote out a ton of options and now in about 30 days I will be sitting in a tattoo shop getting it permanently written on my body :-)
My friend Destinee also accompanied me to the show in Dallas, where we managed to get 6th and 7th in line. I loved the Houston show, but this one by far surpassed that, which I didn’t even know could be possible. We had woken up well before the sun rose to drive 240 miles for 4 hours (at the speed limit bc I had just gotten a speeding ticket LOL) to Club Dada to see COIN all over again! I got to meet one of my all-time favorite mutuals, Diana, and we hung out with each other while waiting for doors to open. Since June 7th was Alexa’s actual birthday, Ryan, being the doll he is, used my phone to FaceTime Alexa a happy birthday, and it made me love him even more. Chase complimented me on my green cropped track pants and completed the other half of my hand heart while they were leaving the venue to go somewhere before the show started. When they came back, all of COIN sang happy birthday to my friend Jesus who was turning 17 the day after! Soon enough, we were let into the venue and we got barricade, right in between Chase and Joe. Once again, joan came on, performed phenomenally, and Steven even gave Destinee his drumstick. Destinee and I hyped up our favorite member of joan, Connor, screaming things like “yes, Connor! Take those pictures!” and after the show he told us he wouldn’t look at us because he knew if he did that he’d start laughing. COIN came on and they honestly put on the best show I’ve ever been too. Chase grabbed my hands quite a few times, Joe laughed when I said, “you’re doing a great job, Joe!” and I had the time of my life. Afterwards, Destinee and I spent a good half hour to 45 minutes talking to Connor about his life, his dog, his photography, and joan. We said hi to joan again and went outside to see COIN. I got pictures with them again and then went to Diana’s house to finally end that amazing night. I love COIN with all of my heart and am so proud of them for everything they do.
P.S. I’d like to thank COIN for getting me to talk to Destinee. We attended the same high school but we were never friends, we only started talking to each other because we needed people to go to the COIN concerts with. I now see Destinee as one of my best friends and I’m super excited to stan bands and go to a ton of concerts with her since we’ll be attending the same university.
P.P.S. also, huge shoutout to Rachel who is also an Aggie and a COIN stan. COIN starts a lot of awesome friendships.
Samantha Locke
u street music hall • washington, dc • 5.1.17
Tori Collene
Recordbar • Kansas city, mo • 6.27.17
I had not seen the boys in 3 years!! I first saw them when they were openers for Walk the Moon, and had been waiting for them to come back to Kansas City ever since. When I heard they were coming to the RecordBar, I could not contain my joy! I was so excited, and was counting down the days until I got to see this beautiful band. I waited about 5 hours in line outside of the venue. Luckily, it was a nice summer day, with a breeze. Of course I made friends with the people around me, and we all stuck together for the rest of the night. The show was absolutely magical. I was up front, and about 5 feet from Chase at all times. During the last song, he came over to me, looked me in the eyes, grabbed my hand, and climbed on top of a speaker that was right in front of me. It was like a dang angel was standing over me staring into my soul, and singing siren melodies. Twas a dream. I am so thankful for these boys and the music they make. I really, really hope they come back here soon!!
Baker Smith
white oak music hall • houston, tx • 6.5.17
June 5th, 2017, COIN show at the White Oak music hall. Here in Houston, Tx. 2nd time seeing COIN live. The only difference is this was a headlining show and not a festival. I remember arriving early to the venue on this rainy day. Already a formed line with fans waiting outside. This was around 12pm when I asked a couple of them what time did they show up. A lot of them surprised me which I really didn't know how extensive and loyal this fan base was until I met them. People slept over night in the parking lot. You had friends from Alanta, Georgia to the sunshine state of California travel for this band. Excited to meet the band, oh boy was I in for a treat. Currently in the green room I meet the whole crew. Band manager, friends of the band, and of course, COIN. These boys instantly treated me as if I was family off the bat. I felt nothing but warmth and love. To me, it's such a rarity for any band to have. From previous experience I honestly never had such a connection with strangers. I knew of them but this was my first time meeting COIN. We ate food, talk about where we wanted to live in the future. Took behind the scene photos of everyone preparing for the show. Everything was perfect.
The opening act JOAN came on and I was in awe. I knew of JOAN and their first single “Take Me On” through Spotify. I can't remember how I came across them but most likely it was by accident. Let me tell you JOAN is definitely on my “ones to watch” list. After JOAN's set I get to snap a couple personal portraits of Ryan Winnen (talented drummer) of COIN. This guy is the most humble and nicest person you'll ever meet. We had a blast. Finally moments before COIN's set. The boys all huddle in a circle. Hyping up one another with arms holding each other. Jumping up and down as if this was their first show ever. So much energy and excitement brewing from these boys moments before taking the stage. Hearing fans yell “COIN!” off in the distance. The tension was real and it gave me goosebumps. I followed behind has they walked into the hallway towards the stage. A brief moment I felt amazing. I don't what it was, but I knew it was going to get crazy. Lights dim out, a distorted sound comes on. The band comes out. The crowd starts yelling. There you have it.. ladies and gentlemen I present you, the band COIN!
The show was more than amazing. COIN live was a immensely beautiful and intimate experience. Everyone was dancing and singing along. The crowd was loud and strong. A show I will never forget. Afterwards, everyone waited outside, chatting about how great the concert was. I didn't want the night to end. Moments after Chase, Ryan, Zack and Joe all come out to meet the fans. I took a few shoots of the crowd. Fans with their merch. Found a couple people with the setlist. Made some new friends. Went home with an unforgettable memory.
Jessica Schultz
the broadberry • richmond, va • 5.8.17
I had 'How Will You Know If You Never Try' on repeat since the day this upbeat album came out. I didn't know it then, but I was quickly falling in love with COIN. Once I found out that these guys were to play a show just twenty minutes from me, I was already purchasing a ticket.
Fast forward to May 8th, I saw COIN at The Broadberry, a dark little venue, that evening. As I was queuing along the fence I heard clanking plates and low chatter. To my surprise I peeked through the cracks and the four of them were sitting there dining! That was the point I began to feel the pre-show jitters and overwhelming excitement. Soon enough we were let into the venue and I claimed barricade on the far left. The waiting began.
In short, this was the first time I had ever experienced a show this intimate and surreal. Because of COIN I developed a newfound love of attending little shows and getting lost in live music. The highlight of my night would be the point in the show where Chase began singing the opening lyrics to Lately. I was so captivated and stared, eyes wide, in admiration as this "ballad" stole my heart. Aside from that, each song was performed with such high energy you can't help but feed off of it. I danced and sung with almost everything in me. Was this how it felt to fall in love? Chase, Joe, Ryan, & Zach all have my heart.
Ava Butera
the social • orlando, fl • 5.13
Getting the chance to see COIN once is an amazing opportunity, but twice in two weeks? That’s definitely a pleasure. I had the pleasure to see COIN for the second time (first time on the HWYKIYNT Tour) in Orlando, FL. My friend and I drove up the road a couple hours to witness one of our favorite bands live together and to watch them perform some songs off their new album. As we were enjoying the experience and dancing to new songs and old, I got to meet up and hang out with some of my best friends that I’ve met through live music and going to concerts. The experience of seeing COIN live all while having a blast with hometown friends and online friends is something I cannot truly put into words, and I’d like to thank COIN for that.
Gibson
le poisson rouge • new york city, ny • 5.04.17
Hi! I'm Gibson! I'm 16 years old and am from right outside manhattan in New Jersey.
My first ever Coin show was their headline show at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC while on the HWYKIYNT tour. The tiny venue was packed wall to wall with people waiting to see Coin take the stage. Personally, a couple of my friends and I waited pressed against the barricade clutching roses to give to Chase and to throw on the stage. As the lights dimmed, my friends and I couldn't have been more excited. We waited all day outside the venue andthe moment finally arrived. As Chase started singing the opening of "Feeling," the crowd went absolutely crazy. I never thought I could be in a room that was so excited to see Coin as I was, but never the less everyone was jumping and singing along to song after song. At the end of Atlas, we threw the majority of the roses on the stage and handed one of the bouquets to Chase with a note that read "Play Hannah!" Sadly, he didn't see the note and they also didn't play Hannah :( But, the show was so fantastic with Chase even "stage diving" a little bit and even meeting everyone after the show. Such a fantastic show, can't wait to see them again in September!
Rachel Gerron
club dada • dallas, tx • 6.7.17
Concerts will always stick out in my memory as some of the best nights of my life. But my experience at the COIN concert was on whole different level. The day started with waiting all day outside the venue, in the heat. I somehow convinced my best friend, destiny, to do it with me, and it was definitely and interesting experience. Thank goodness we sat next to some cool girls, who made the experience a lot more bearable.
At around 2 or 3 a black van pulled up right in front of us. I really didn't pay any attention until someone whispered, "That's Chase." It was so weird seeing them right there. Like, that's them! lol I really can't even describe that feeling. Ryan came back to the van to get something and we got to talk to him for a little bit. (Mostly about how weird Club Dada is and how hot Texas is lol) Right before they let us in, the band came out and Chase ran down the line and gave everyone a high five. Little things like that are honestly so nice, because make us feel like they care. Like we're not just one of the numbers, if that makes sense lol. When we finally got inside the venue (which was actually just back outside), I think we all felt relived. The stress of waiting and being cut in line was all over, and we made it.
When COIN came in stage the whole atmosphere changed. I kept thinking, "wow this is what I've been waiting for for months. It's happening. They're right there." During Atlas, they broke the sound sound system or something, but we just kept singing along, until they started over lol. The whole concert was amazing! All of their songs are ones you would want to hear live. And they're one of the rare bands that actually sound better live! They also seemed genuinely happy they were to be there. Chase was super interactive with the audience. He easily could've just sang the songs and left, but he made sure to make our experience special.
After the show I got to meet Chase and Ryan! They were so, so nice, and I wish I wasn't shy so I could've actually talked to them. The whole time I was overwhelmed with the feeling of, "I'm so glad I'm here now." It's sad, but I know when they start playing bigger shows and have a bigger fan base, it'll be harder to things like that. I'm just so grateful I got to experience this while they're still able to meet, interact with us. :')
COIN, I just want to thank you for being so good to your fans. The little things y'all do like talking to us before and after the show, and even being active on twitter and Instagram- it all means so much. I love y'all, and thanks for making great music.
