Daiana Feuer on November 9th, 2018

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On Thursday night, Lawrence Rothman celebrated his new EP, “I Know I’ve Been Wrong, But Can We Talk?” with a show at Pico Union Project, a beautiful synagogue built in 1909.

The EP title refers to a text message Rothman (who identifies as non-binary and uses neutral they/them pronouns) received from their father, and thematically continues the story told on last year’s “The Book Of Law” about Rothman’s father rejecting their gender fluidity and taking issue with the notion of his son having nine alter identities — which we’ve met through a string of music videos created by Floria Sigismondi over the past few years. It took Rothman months to respond to that text, but finally they began the process of healing their estranged relationship and that, along with the death of a lifelong friend, formed the material for this new EP.

With a set that included songs from both albums, the performance told the story in slices of beautiful melodies set to avant-pop soundtracks that had the audience dancing in their seats, arms raised in worshipful fist-pumping above the rows of pews. Opening with “Wolves Still Cry,” Rothman gripped the audience with gentle command of the stage, wearing a red ladies business suit. The voice that comes out of them conjured up some of your favorite 1980s New Wave singers, but its depths are so unique and supernatural, the effect came nothing short of magical. What a gift.

The band set-up consisted of a synth player, a drummer on a Roland SPD and a female singer who played an Artiphon Instrument, which is a cool MIDI sampler that mimics a guitar. Her voice was beautiful too, adding harmonies to Rothman’s anthems about identity and acceptance. Some highlights included “California Paranoia” and “Geek,” but really every song became the favorite in the moment, revealing another page in waves of anguish and hope. The show announcement said there would be dancers and actors but they must have decided to scrap that idea, instead keeping it simple with the band and projections by Alba Corral, that bathed the stage and walls with colorful abstract shapes.

Opener Vōx (pronounced “wokes”) performed mystical experimental pop, cloaked in and consumed by a red veil, with red lights bouncing eerie shadows high up on the walls, as if she was splitting off into ghosts that flew around the room casting spells through song. This show was special.