Live Review: Lights w/ KiNG MALA @ The Atlantis — 6/1/25

June 6, 2025

I got this request just a few days before the show, asking if I would be interested in covering Lights at The Atlantis.

I looked into her just a little bit and saw that her debut album was released in 2009. That’s a lot of career to become familiar with in a few days. So I thought…I’ll just go in without listening to ANYTHING! Fresh ears, as it were. I did that with another band recently and it worked out well. So, it seems like I’m on a streak!

At The Atlantis on June 1, the show started with KiNG Mala, a two-piece band that was ready to party. They played a very sexy set that got the entire crowd’s attention. Singer Areli Castro prowled the dimly lit stage with the swagger of a seasoned vet. Everyone in The Atlantis embraced her and gave her an incredible reception.

Lights is on the road supporting her new album, A6, and the single “Alive Again.” You can check the video, which was directed and edited by Lights.

Watch the official music video for “Alive Again” by Lights on YouTube:

When Lights emerged, the scene was electric. As soon as the show started, the atmosphere changed. With a name like Lights, you’d better bring a great visual show. Well…she did! She didn’t slide across a dark stage; she bounced onto a stage that may be the brightest I’ve ever seen in person!

It’s interesting going to a show and not being familiar with the music. Instead of listening to the way she played the song live compared to the albums, I paid as much attention to the audience as I did the performer. Her music is mostly electronic pop but she isn’t stuck in the genre. She throws in a lot of other influences. What makes the live show even better is that it’s a trio that focuses on guitar, bass, and drums.

The music was high energy and Lights’ performance matched it. The stage lighting was the best I’ve worked with in a while! The lights were bright and well timed to the music. They also matched the mood, song after song.

Speaking of songs, she played a variety of tracks that spanned her career — from her 2009 debut, The Listening, to her latest release, A6.

I’m a sucker for between song banter, and Lights pushed all the right buttons in that regard. Between “Running with the Boys” and “White Paper Palm Trees,” she told the story about how her 9th-grade boyfriend reached out to her after she started seeing some success to say he was sorry for breaking up with her. He could feel the pain in her music. I’ve never seen an entire crowd do a collective eye roll until that moment.

As mentioned earlier, Lights plays several older tracks. She mentioned that she used to have trouble connecting with them. But (9th-grade boyfriend notwithstanding) things have come full circle for many of them. She’s found new meaning in them and loves playing them again!

The cell phone flashlight/lighter moment for everyone was the song “Ghost Girl on First.” It’s an homage to one of her favorite bands, Taking Back Sunday, and their song “Ghost Man on Third.”

The show was a blast and the crowd was so into it that I got a little nervous at one point. During several songs, everyone was bouncing and I could feel the floor flexing. I don’t know that I’ve felt it give that much at a show.

If you’re a fan of Lights, you need to see a show! If you aren’t familiar with her, you should still go see a show. I’m going back and catching up on her discography.