Wallows, the Los Angeles based band made big, played New York City’s infamous Madison Square Garden on Friday, 23rd August. On the back of this year’s Model (QRO review), the band did well to soundboard a younger generation of music fans with throwback sounds and joyous influence, and QRO was there to witness it.
A soft opening, the band started with “Do Not Wait”, a track off of 2019’s Nothing Happens – perhaps an unusual choice given the album-centric to this tour cycle. But perhaps the first few songs starting up slow doesn’t define, as momentum is known to grow for this trio.
As we all know so much has happened since then for both us and the band. Since playing the Mercury Lounge, another iconic New York venue of a very differing size (QRO venue review), the band has managed to catapult to the enormity of Madison Square Garden (QRO venue review) – a 19.5k capacity venue. Truthfully, a slow start to their set offered a slightly flat performance with an arguably generic set of Gen Z influences.
Much of the set was formulaic. This sounds like a bad thing – but perhaps it is what this band has going for them well. This is a generation raised on the Internet. This is a generation raised on popular culture. And it sounds like this has not been taken for granted by this band.
Their signature is an amalgamation of multi-influence of popular culture. It is remarkably undefinable – and yet interestingly, be best described via the pre-show music that went from Roxy Music to *NSYNC.
Songs like “You Can Call Me Anytime” held aspects of big hitters of our current day, Harry Styles to Coldplay. This is a band that has capitalized by leaning into pop culture & soft rock by numbers. It is clear that they have worked hard to pay attention to their influences, although the lyrics remain somewhat uninspired.
Perhaps the formulaic predictably is the key to success. There is certainly merit in it – otherwise no band reaches such heights, with Wallows themselves declaring this the pinnacle of their career date. There is safety in their music – almost as if everyone put the world’s favorite bands in a blender and then fronted it with a real, down-to-earth group of boys.
There was a slight lack of charisma from frontman Dylan Minette, who is mostly known for his acting on Netflix hit series 13 Reasons Why – so it might be a little surprising that he has not cultivated stage charm. However, instead he brought a sincere relatability through normality. There was not a whole lot of banter, just gratitude. It was sweet – almost as an extension of their music, the radio-friendly.
The access to influence was so audible throughout. As the set progressed, songs like “Don’t You Think It’s Strange” held Morrissey vibes, although with a distinct lack of ego. It was refreshing.
There were so many influences that are so visible in their repertoire. There were nods to The Smiths – including a bouquet of flowers that appeared at some point, Roxy Music, The Cure. But the assignment was understood well. It did not feel like a rip-off or bastardized, just so heavily influenced. This was a band that has taken advantage of the world of music being at their fingertips.
But this wasn’t exclusive to the ‘80s. Wallows’ guitarist, Braeden Lemasters, was keen to mention his personal influences and his personal relationship with the venue, which involves a passionate love affair with an *NSYNC DVD from his childhood. Mentions of Led Zeppelin also appeared. But watching the show the head sparked with so many things that you could hear lifted from other bands from early 2000s guitar-based music, synth-pop, post-rock.
The diverse influence was fun. Songs like “Quarterback” were fun & harmonic, reminiscent of early One Direction. The relationship between Minette and Lemasters too – a wholesome boyish friendship.
There was even some 90s Britpop influence, songs like “Bad Dream” contained that same boyband harmonisation, but could arguably be taken straight out of the catalogue of Ash. Throw in a bit of French band Phoenix and you there have it – could this band be set for world domination for a younger generation?
It was funny that the onstage dialogue returned to *NSYNC. As the set became more animated and passionate, Wallows leaned into that same vibe prompting sing-alongs lit with an amass of phone torches. The stadium shone during “At the End of the Day”, the light beaming, much like the faces of the adorned.
As the set progressed, there was considerable Stage presence with guitar-led tracks. The songs were built well to fill the space.
However, ingeniously this band continued to keep us on its toes. During “She’s an Actress” off their current album, Minette jumped into the crowd and swam flawlessly to the back of the standing space, much to the adoration of screaming fans. doing the rounds, he then switched to another stage at the back of the venue.
The crowd pushed and swelled to the back, as the band launched into “Pictures of Girls”, reminiscent again of a handful of ‘80s synth bands spanning up to influences like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!. a sing-along commenced, and as the band came over to play a handful more tracks on this stage, although smaller, the sincerity and heart of a band was amplified. In the void between the main stage and the B stage, fans danced and sang, bringing the experience full circle for fans on the floor.
The crowd were increasingly responsive, roaring when fan favourite “Uncomfortable” came on, an early single, which was clearly instrumental in solidifying their career. The elements that make up who this band are were somewhat universal, singing about pining, waiting for another, and the age-old experience of being 17, as referenced in “1980s Horror Film” – but maybe we are all 17 forever.
After a stint on the B stage, and a clamber around the seats during “Going Under”, the band returned to the main stage. It’s a stuff to take on boy band mania, One Direction lite – but actually incredibly wholesome to witness.
The show was centred back on main for the last discernible section. The set amped up with bright lights and hot moves, with the track “Calling After You” causing a frenzy of dance with fans. A disco ensued, no one sat. A rendition of “Remember When” gave way to the joyous guitar, this time New Order-esque vibes meeting 2000s Two Door Cinema Club.
It didn’t seize to be dynamic – with a harmonica whipped out during “Tell Me That It’s Over”. The diversity was impressively showcased as Wallows winded up the show.
The band returned for an encore with their big hitter, “Are You Bored Yet?”, and it’s a solid question. Are we? Wallows are pop rock by numbers. although they lack an edge, in a spiky world that we live in, how necessary it is to have joyous safe spaces that are gentle, fun, considered? Somehow, this band fits that protocol for the youth, but somehow, not terrible, maybe this band should be considered for all of us.
