R.LUM.R and Phangs Lean In Close

If you’ve been to one of the often-packed shows headlined by Nashville pop standouts R.LUM.R or Phangs, you likely experienced a performance awash with dramatic lighting and danceable, beat-driven instrumentation. But for Tuesday night’s show in The Lounge at City Winery — the second of the pair's two sold-out nights in a row — the longtime friends stripped things down and gave fans a more intimate glimpse of what drives their art.

Since stepping away from his role as frontman of now-defunct local rock band Cardboard Kids, Jake Germany has been serving up some of the most infectious earworms to come out of the local pop scene under the moniker Phangs. With only his guitar in hand on Tuesday, Germany told the audience how the personal project quickly evolved into something he didn’t expect.

“I just put out some songs on the internet, and then people started getting tattoos of my lyrics,” Germany said. “It suddenly started to mean something bigger to people.” He rolled through songs from his 2020 record Who’s Gonna Break Your Heart Tonight?, including “Powerline” (partially inspired by the beloved ’90s classic A Goofy Movie) and a few older fan favorites like “N°1 Loves You.”

He also talked about his evolution from writing self-described “emo songs” to the cautious optimism of numbers like “Good Now.” That one, he said, came from his engagement to his now-wife. He also discussed his brief move to Texas, at a time when he was questioning his identity and his purpose, that inspired the reflective “Nothing to Do With You.” Before wrapping things up, Germany invited R.LUM.R., born Reggie Lamar Williams Jr., to come up for his last song: their infectious 2017 collaboration “Always Been U.”

After a brief intermission, Williams reemerged onstage with keyboardist Joshua Blaylock and kicked off his set with the soulful “Love Less” from his 2017 EP Afterimage. Williams briefly introduced a brand-new, unreleased number called “In My Arms” as “a little head bopper.” The cheers from the crowd were loud and immediate — the song was an exciting glimpse into what greatness might be coming down the pipeline.

The set was an eclectic mix of songs with moments that highlighted the impact of Williams' wide-ranging influences. There was a soaring cover of Fleet Foxes’ mellow and melancholy “Oliver James,” as well as a mind-boggling finger-tapping solo that served as an impromptu showcase of his classical guitar training. Before going into his song “What If I (Still Feel)” from his 2019 LP Surfacing, he noted the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder and the profound and long-lasting effect it has had on him.  

“I remember having the talks with my parents about keeping your ID on you, saying, ‘Yes, sir’ or ‘No, sir’ to police,” Williams said. “My Blackness is something I’m very proud of, but I spent the entire last year questioning even the validity of my own personhood. That happened after I wrote this song, and it’s wild that it’s still happening and still something I have to think about.”

A setting so intimate can often find artists in unfamiliar waters, facing the awkwardness of silence between songs that needs to be filled. However, this environment was a welcome shift for Williams, allowing him to show off the magnetic personality and thoughtful perspective that are so tightly woven into his songs. After showing off his flawless falsetto on his breakout hit “Frustrated,” Williams kindly advised attendees to “love each other and be merry.” Then he retreated from the Lounge’s compact stage, closing out a night that seemed to feel both joyful and therapeutic for everyone in the room.

See our slideshow for more photos.