Concert Review: Vana Liya Creates an Intimate Evening at The Wayfarer on June 4, 2026

Zharmaine Boatman
3 hours ago
3 min read

Black-and-white photo of a woman singing into a microphone onstage, wearing a leopard-print dress under a spotlight.

Vana Liya's set at The Wayfarer in Costa Mesa on June 4, 2026 asked listeners to slow down and enjoy the moment. The venue, a longtime fixture of Orange County's live music scene, provided the kind of close up setting that suited her music well.

The Room Sets the Tone

Walking into The Wayfarer, the bar immediately greets you. Seating is scattered throughout the venue, with a pool table off to the right. Continue farther inside, turn left, and the stage finally comes into view.

Before reaching the stage, there was a merchandise table near the entrance. Not the usual concert merchandise, but handmade pieces. Maybe it is because we live in a world where so much feels mass produced, but seeing something that was clearly made by hand felt different. I definitely needed to stop by.

I found myself thinking about the amount of time that goes into creating something with your own hands. As an avid crafter who loves to create, I know it takes a genuine love of art to dedicate that much time to making something between performances. The music that followed carried much of that same feeling.

Big Yen and Casey Smiles Open the Night

Big Yen, a San Diego band that calls their sound "hip hop hippie pop," opened the evening, followed by Casey Smiles, a LAW Records artist whose reggae, rock, surf, and hip-hop blend felt right at home on The Wayfarer's stage. Both delivered energetic sets that made full use of The Wayfarer's sound system. At times, the bass was strong enough to be felt in your chest. Their performances kept the crowd engaged and moving before the evening shifted into the more laid back atmosphere of Vana Liya's set.

Vana Liya: Presence Without Theatrics

Nirvana Goberdhan, performing as Vana Liya, grew up surrounded by soca, calypso, dancehall, and reggae music. She built a following through ukulele covers that caught the attention of artists like 311, Rebelution, Stick Figure, and SOJA, eventually signing with LAW Records and releasing her debut album Little Kahuna in 2021.

Throughout the set, Vana Liya alternated between vocals and an acoustic guitar. Her voice easily carried through the room. While singing, she frequently used her hands to emphasize certain lyrics. The gestures became part of the performance itself, adding another layer to the lyrics. In a venue the size of The Wayfarer, every movement felt visible and intentional.

At several points throughout the evening, members of the band blew bubbles into the crowd, drawing excitement from the audience. The moment added another layer of lightheartedness to the performance. There is something about bubbles that brings people back to childhood. Maybe it is the simplicity of them, maybe it is the memories they carry, or maybe both. Either way, they felt like a perfect fit for a performance that encouraged people to slow down and leave the outside world behind for a while.

Lighting and Atmosphere

Purple, blue, green, and warm amber lighting rotated throughout the set, changing the appearance of the stage throughout the evening. My personal favorite was the warm amber lighting. It complemented the mood of the music and suited Vana Liya particularly well, giving the stage a warmth that felt natural and inviting.

None of those details were particularly large on their own. The handmade items at the merchandise table. The bubbles drifting through the crowd. The lighting. The acoustic instrumentation. Together, they shaped the atmosphere of the evening.

What It Felt Like

Vana Liya has a soft voice that draws listeners in. Despite that softness, she still had people dancing throughout the evening. At one point, I looked to my right and saw a group of women swaying to the music with their eyes closed, letting the music through their body and absorbing every moment of it.

If you have ever sat in a hammock near the water with your headphones on, you already understand part of the feeling. The performance was a perfect balance of calmness and energy, allowing audience members to relax without ever losing their engagement with the music.

One longtime fan I spoke with near the stage had been following Vana Liya for years. That kind of loyalty is usually earned through consistency, both in the music and in the experience surrounding it.

Final Thought

Watching Vana Liya perform felt a lot like listening to her records with headphones on. The same sense of ease was there, only shared with a room full of people.

For a little over an hour, The Wayfarer became a place where people could set aside whatever they had carried in with them and simply be present. After spending an evening there, it was easy to understand why so many fans of this reggae artist continue to return.