Written by Megan Baranuk
The Beachland Ballroom was heavy with anticipation on Thursday, March 14th. Yoke Lore was set to perform, and the audience waited with excitement. Yoke Lore emerges onto the stage, wielding a banjo. But who exactly is Yoke Lore? Enter Adrian Galvin, the 28-year-old artist of many talents. Before he began Yoke Lore, his latest musical project, he was a part of Walk the Moon and Yellerkin.
The stage name “Yoke Lore” is a reference to the literal definitions of the two words — “yoke” is to bind together, and “lore” is another word for stories. Combined, Yoke Lore is the stories that bind all together. One thing that makes Yoke Lore unique is his use of the banjo. The notes familiarly ring through all of his songs and add a special twist to live shows. I had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Yoke Lore, or Adrian Galvin, before the show began. Asking him how he became interested in music, Galvin was quick to tell me that there is an authenticity in music that he feels no other art form can replicate. Galvin began experimenting with music at a very young age, beginning drum lessons at age seven. Coming from an entire family of artists, venturing through the artistic world came as second nature, “It’s kind of like a tic – music – it’s not a decision I made really. It’s like a compulsion,” Galvin said. Expanding on life with his tight knit family, Galvin reflected,
“When everyone’s an artist, everyone’s always showing each other their art and we’re always keeping each other honest."
Even the way Galvin was raised reflects his passion for pursuing art in his own life, “We were all raised thinking art was the most admirable human pursuit was to crate art.” As far as inspiration, Galvin draws inspiration from literature that he reads. Literature is a common theme throughout his lyrical work, as Galvin comments on his inspiration, “I consider myself first and foremost a songwriter. Literature excites me and drives me.” Throughout his life, Galvin has embarked into many different art forms, such as dance, musical instruments, yoga and dabbling in other art forms. When asked how he finds time to balance all of his ventures, Galvin’s answer is a simple one; “I find that if I focus on the moment and if I'm fully immersed in the moment, even if I have a bunch of projects going on, I try to only dive into one at a time. I'm diving into Yoke Lore right now.” It’s obvious to anyone who has seen Galvin on tour or heard his songs; Galvin is focusing all of his talent, time and effort on songwriting, singing, and performing.
When the show began, Galvin energized the room with his wild movements, passion, and love for performing and his music. He performed his latest songs, a cover of “Truly Madly Deeply,” as well as crowd favorites, such as “Goodpain." Yoke Lore also treated his fans to a new song, Tom Robbins, which will be released in the future. The show emphasized Galvin’s love for creating and sharing his art with people everywhere, and the Cleveland show was no exception. Invigorating and intriguing, the show was a piece of Yoke Lore’s soul that he shared with everyone in the room that night.