Editor’s Note: Welcome to The Last Show, a new Vanyaland series where we talk to performers about their last traditional live appearance before the pandemic hit. As we slowly make our way out of this mess, and a return to stages appears to be coming (eventually), here are the stories of bands, artists, comedians and others who performed their last live gig in front of an audience around this time last year. These are their shows, their stories, their memories.
Korine [Philadelphia, PA]
Vanyaland: When and where was your last show before the pandemic?
Trey Frey of Korine: Our last show was March 11, 2020 in Norfolk, Virginia, at a venue called Chicho’s Backstage.
Who else was on the bill?
Suburban Living and You’re Jovian (both great bands you should check out).
What was notable about the show?
We got free pizza, which is always appreciated, and I remember the sound being surprisingly good.
What do you remember the most about the show?
I think the most memorable part of the show was the light air of panic/fear in the room among the show goers — there were TVs in the venue showing the news of Covid spreading in the US. Jokes were made about how this may be the last show any of us play in a while.
If someone told you live music would be going away for at least the next year, what would you have thought?
I would’ve probably laughed in disbelief, honestly. I still have a hard time grasping the reality of how long it’s been and how much longer there is to go.
If someone told you live music would be going away for at least the next year, what would you have done differently?
I think we would’ve prepared a little more for our online streams, but I think all things considered we bounced back pretty efficiently. We did about seven livestreams in 2020 that all went surprisingly well.
What do you have coming up or coming out?
We’ve been working a lot on new music and things we plan on slowly unveiling into 2021. You can expect a new Korine song on March 26.
Follow Korine on Instagram @korineband. And below, check out their brand new music video for “The Last”, out today (February 19), off last year’s standout album “The Night We Raise”, featuring two of Vanyaland’s favorite tracks of 2020, “Cast” and “Fate”.