From Synth-Pop to Bass-Heavy Beats: A Night with Rocky Sandoval, Alana Rich, and Lostinlkwd! at Madame Lou’s
Photos by Emma Schwichtenberg
By Emma Schwichtenberg
As you descend into the underbelly of Madame Lou’s at the Crocodile, a painting of Madame Lou herself seems to watch your every step. The floors vibrate, and the blues, reds, and purples of the stage lights melt into your skin as they reflect off the disco ball spinning overhead.
It's Friday night, and Lostinlkwd!, Alana Rich, and Rocky Sandoval are about to perform.
Doors open at 5:30, and DJ Tankzilla is already spinning a mix somewhere between '90s R&B and '70s funk. My first thought — maybe I should’ve brought those earplugs after all, because the bass is loud, vibrating through my bones. The music transitions from Kendrick Lamar to Anita Baker, and we start guessing who he'll spin next — maybe Brandy? No, it’s Rocky.
As people trickle in, they press into the back, ordering drinks and gathering around the merch table. One by one, in twos and fours, I watch people descend the steps as the clock ticks closer to the opening act. The countdown begins.
Lostinlkwd! takes the stage as the opening act, thriving under the bright purple lights, hyping up the crowd and getting them to wave their hands in the air. Green, purple, and blue lights filter through the hands waving in front of the stage. Someone from the crowd grabs the mic and sings a lyric. There’s a clap-along moment, then the bass drops, the rapping kicks in, and somehow it all melds back into singing. The crowd is jumping — with the bass so strong, it’s impossible not to move.
The first set ends, and the crowd continues to grow. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Alana Rich as she walks in, dressed in a black skirt and top, accompanied by her backup dancers. She steps onto the stage, and people gather around, grabbing their phones to record. The music starts, and her synth-pop sound fills the air. It’s immediately clear why she’s called a “dance-pop artist” — her stage presence is captivating. She and her backup dancers move in perfect sync, dancing through the entire set without missing a beat.
Her bejeweled microphone is perfectly in line with the pop persona she commands, and as the crowd sings along, it’s easy to forget you're in a smaller venue.
The whole time, I just wanted to stop taking notes and lose myself in her voice. She performed songs from across her discography, with "Play It Cool" and "Euphoria" standing out as my favorites. "Play It Cool" carries a melancholic tone, with beautiful lyricism, and her vocal delivery creates a haunting, mesmerizing effect.
"Euphoria" lives up to its name, with the foggy lights, her bejeweled mic, and the jewels adorning her eyes. It’s the last song of the night, and as she leaves the stage, you feel a slight daze, her absence immediately palpable.
As she leaves the stage, the atmosphere begins to shift. The DJ booth is moved aside, making way for drums, keyboards, and a bassist to set up. The venue is now packed, with no trace of the cold outside creeping in. Rocky Sandoval, who spent most of the night mingling with the audience and greeting friends, walks onto the stage. The Tacoma-based drill R&B artist is ready to set the tone for the night.
“We are the industry,” Sandoval shouts, addressing a crowd filled with fellow artists, producers, and even some of his students. They call out to him, sharing inside jokes as the set begins. He effortlessly blends harmonies, making it hard to tell where the rapping ends and the singing begins. Moving across the stage, he gives each instrument its moment to shine — the keys dazzle, the bass gets its own groove, and the drums lead into smooth vocalizing, followed by applause and a quick sip of water.
He performs his new drill R&B track "Kama Sutra" before slowing things down with "My Confessions." The crowd presses closer to the stage, swaying to the rhythm. Sandoval interacts with the audience, his performance rooted in the deep connections he’s built with them over time. It feels personal, like everyone is seen.
He shares his uncertainty about whether people would show up tonight, but looking around, he sees many familiar faces. He’s finally in a place where he can release the music he truly wants.
“Y’all in the crowd, you’re my people, you’re my label,” Sandoval says.
He then plays “Nineties Are n Be,” one of his favorites, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Hands are in the air, couples find each other and sway slowly to the music, hugs are exchanged — it feels more like a reunion than a concert, a testament to the power of music.
Then "Deadstock" comes on, and the mood shifts. It’s a song for everyone — couples, their parents — and the band gets its moment to groove. This is Sandoval’s final show of 2024, and he closes with "Drill Love." His soulful vocalizations blend seamlessly with the band’s beats as he moves across the stage. The lights dim, and he disappears back into the crowd.
