Steve Lacy Lights Up The Wiltern Theatre

The Wiltern was jam-packed with Steve Lacy fans at the musician's Oct. 30 show at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, Calif. (Jackie Sedley / The Corsair)

Strobe lights and eardrum-shattering screams set the tone for Steve Lacy’s show at The Wiltern theatre in Los Angeles on Oct. 30. Since the musician released his solo debut studio album in May, Lacy has gained popularity worldwide. His current tour, named Apollo XXI after his solo album, began in Chicago and will end in the United Kingdom.

Lacy has been deemed the epitome of a “21st century musician” in the public eye. While he has since upgraded to more professional software, the musician produced his first tracks on an iPhone in his mother’s Compton home and found his beginnings with guitar through the video game "Guitar Hero."

Nothing seemed to stop Lacy from following through with his prepared set and showcasing his talents, including his guitar neck hitting the mic stand during a solo, and a string breaking right at the start of an acoustic rendition of “C U Girl.”

It did not to take much for the artist to emit responses from the audience. Every song began and ended with shrieks from the crowd, and every smirk, dance move, and charismatic facial expression was greeted with laughter and applause.

Lacy had a few surprises in store for the audience, including a makeshift outfit change into an angel Halloween costume and some special guests. Actress Amandla Stenberg’s appearance on-stage to perform a live rendition of “Amandla’s Interlude” from Lacy’s Apollo XXI album received some of the loudest applause of the evening.

Many fans in the crowd spoke to Lacy’s ability to bring audiences together through his music and personality. USC students Roni Gayer and Luana Gund are shining examples of this. They became friends through ordering tickets to the Oct. 30 concert.

“The music is a gateway into his persona,” said Gund, to which Gayer responded, “Or his persona is a gateway to his music. It’s a chicken and egg. Like, he wouldn’t have made it without [his music], he wouldn’t have made it without [his persona].”

In interviews, Lacy has cited Prince, Thundercat, and other 70s-esque artists as his musical inspirations. These inspirations were evident in many aspects of his set, not only through his music but likewise through his linen clothing and fluid dance moves.

“I think his persona is just really laid back, you know what I mean?” said Gund. “I think he doesn’t try at all, it’s just kind of like what he was born to do, you know, be on stage.”

Between the elaborate light displays and intense bass, Lacy brought about a performance that felt as captivating as it did intimate. Although he is only 21 years old, Lacy's music combines genres from far beyond his time — R&B, jazz, indie rock, and lo-fi. By bringing these nostalgic sounds into the forefront, Lacy has created a genre of music all on his own.