BY TREVOR PFEIFER
Following two years of being active members in the Hays music scene, alternative/indie band, Lie Low, will be performing their last set on Friday at the downtown pavillion as a part of the Bach’s Lunch series. The hour-long show will begin at noon, and it will be the band’s final thank you and farewell to the Hays community.
Although the official start of Lie Low was in 2018, lead singer and guitarist David Vandiver cites 2016 as the spark that started it all. At that time, Joshua Adcock (guitar, backing vocals) and Jacob Booth (drums, backing vocals) played in another band called Endlessly, and invited David to join.
“That lasted a short while, but things didn’t work out at that time. Still, that laid out the groundwork for what would become Lie Low,” Vandiver said. “Nearly two years later … Josh and I reconnected and started jamming. Josh kept teasing the idea of getting a drummer and making it a little more serious. I finally agreed, and naturally Jacob was Josh’s go to.”
The trio began practicing regularly, writing songs, and eventually secured a spot on the bill at Rockalooa 2018, calling on bassist Jackson Stanton to round out their lineup.
Vandiver remembers the sensation of that first gig well.
“I remember being so ridiculously nervous; I just up and disappeared before the show to try to calm my nerves,” Vandiver said. “The adrenaline was unreal. There is nothing like it. Once we got off stage that day we were all just a little more confident and began trying to book more shows.”
Following their success at Rockalooa, the group quickly found themselves playing shows with other local favorites such as Dangerously Biased and Miles on End, landing Lie Low a secure spot in the local scene for the years to come.
Reflecting on his time playing music in Hays, Adcock expressed his gratitude for the local scene and what it has done for him.
“The Hays music scene has been really good to us,” Adcock said. “Even when we had bad shows, everyone that was there would make sure they told us how much they enjoyed it. Being able to be a part of such a supportive and diverse community is something that I will always be grateful for.”
Even though the group is disbanding for now, they haven’t entirely rejected the idea of playing together in the future.
“We’ve all expressed willingness to reunite for shows if they work with our respective schedules,” Vandiver said. “I personally would hope that if Rockalooa comes back in 2021 that we could get on the bill and play together again. We’ve also talked about perhaps booking a show or two a year in KC and/or Wichita if things work out.”
Against all odds, the conclusion of Lie Low does have a “bright side,” presenting itself in the form of other opportunities for its members. Adcock will be moving to study at KU Med, and Vandiver is moving to Wichita to pursue a job opportunity.
Lie Low’s published music can be found on Spotify and Apple Music. More information on the group’s final show can be found on the event Facebook page.