In the height of the worldwide epidemic in 2020, Liam kept the fandom connected and entertained by putting on a series of live streams, called ‘The LP Show’. The LP Show was split into 4 Acts, which were livestream performances on different dates starting in July 2020. The shows were live streamed through the Veeps platform, where fans could buy tickets to each show and were then able to watch the livestream through Veeps. The intention behind the live streams were to make the fans feel like they were attending a show, all while remaining safe and respecting socially distancing restrictions in place at the time. Three out of four of the ‘Acts’ of The LP Show took place in 2020, with Act 1 on July 17th, Act 2 on August 29th (Liam’s Birthday), Act 3 a very special Halloween edition on October 31st, and finally Act 4 on January 9, 2021. Each show included performances of songs from Liam’s album ‘LP1’, various covers, special guest appearances, and of course Liam saving all of our Directioner hearts with some One Direction covers.
To help us summarise ‘The LP Show’ (Twitter/X user @Annie23703) agreed to an interview to talk about her experiences attending all the livestreams.
- Where in the world did you watch The LP Show from?
The Netherlands.
- How long have you been a fan of Liam?
Since 2008. I watched his first X-Factor audition and immediately was blown away by this small young boy with that big voice.
- How many of the livestreams were you able to attend?
I was able to attend all of them, there were 4 Acts (live streams) to the show.
- Can you tell us about a special moment from any of the livestreams (can be one or all of the livestreams) If so, indicate which one?
My favourite moment(s) were where he would be covering another song (could be One Direction or another artist) and he would adlib in the song and it would be so amazing you seriously wonder why that wasn’t in the original version by the original artist(s). I don’t have a favourite live stream, they were all incredible.
- Since the performances were online, did you watch with any friends (either in person or online)?
Yes I did both, and through the livestreams I have turned a few friends and family members into Liam Stans now. They were very impressed by his voice and stage presence.
- What was your most memorable moment from any of the live streams? If yes, indicate which live stream.
There was no specific moment. Just the feeling of utter joy and gratefulness of him entertaining us during the pandemic while experiencing the same situation himself. The pandemic was not easy for anyone and yet he still chose to donate his time and energy to keep us company, so to speak.
- Which song was your favourite from the live streams?
Definitely his cover of ‘Everything I Wanted’ by Billie Eilish in the Act 3 livestream on Halloween. Liam covering that song dressed as Captain Jack from Pirates of the Caribbean was a cultural reset. He sang such a heartbreaking song all while in a fun Halloween setting dressed up as the perfect Captain Jack Sparrow. His costume was perfect, from the braids and beads in his hair to the eyeliner and everything in between. The performance as well was incredible, it started out almost like a puppet on a string when he started out sitting in a chair and then went into full range popstar storyteller mode. It was more than a performance, it’s like he was almost acting also.The duality he portrayed was very clear. It showed facets of his personality, his wide range of performing style, and an interesting song choice. I was so proud of him at that moment.
P.S. You can watch his amazing cover here – Liam Payne Everything I Wanted Cover (youtube.com)
- What did you love the most from the live streams?
Just all the moments of Liam being the most random adorable human and being the person that we love so much. There were so many little things he did and said, like at one moment he tried to do the harmonies alone in a One Direction song and said “It’s hard without the boys”.
- Is there anything else you would like to include?
Just thank you so much for doing this and including Liam. Even though he has not performed live in years, this is a creative way to include fan experiences about his recent performances. I’m so proud of Liam of all he did and achieved through The LP Show and he deserves the spotlight!
Thank you so much to Anjori for agreeing to the interview and providing some images from the livestreams to include in this article! For anyone interested, here are some links to watch the live streams:
- Act 1 – THE LP SHOW ACT 1 (youtube.com)
- Act 2 – Liam Payne – The LP Show Act 2 | FULL LIVESTREAM (youtube.com)
- Act 3 – Liam Payne-Veeps LP3 – Whole Show (youtube.com)
- Act 4 – The LP Show Act 4: The Final Act (youtube.com)
You can also watch more behind the scenes footage and Liam reacting to various moments from The LP Show on his official YouTube channel.
The live streams from The LP Show really provided a sense of unity and togetherness for the fandom in a tough time where everyone was so separated, and for that reason The LP Show will always be a source of comfort to the fans. Additionally, now that Liam has his second album on the way, which he is incredibly proud of, the near future will include live performances by Liam which are sure to be memorable.
