Do Not Wait To See Wallows
Photographs by Eloise Beath
The number 70 tram was abuzz as it headed toward Margaret Court Arena on Monday evening. Fans of multi-platinum alt-rock trio Wallows, piled in, anxious to see their favourite band live. For many, this is their first concert.
After a sold out 2022 tour, Wallows, made up of childhood friends Dylan Minnette, Cole Preston and Braeden Lemasters, have come back down under to celebrate their most recent album Model with their ‘Model World Tour’. The energy in the arena was electric. Support act Grentperez set the stage perfectly with his high energy performance, no doubt garnering a new wave of fans during his set.
As the time grew closer to 8:30 the tension in the air was palpable. The lights went dark and the screams erupted. A large white sheet hung over the stage and as the opening track began, the band were silhouetted as they performed ‘Do Not Wait’, a synthy ethereal track.
At last, the sheet drops and the crowd somehow gets even louder seeing the band in all their glory. Lead singer Dylan Minnette has all the frontman charisma you could want. Moving around the stage with confidence and allure.
‘Your Apartment’ is up next, the opening track of ‘Model’ this is where the band really shines. Their aura of indie rock is so nostalgic it feels like it could be part of an early 2000’s teen film, in the best possible way. Although it’s a track you can dance to, the lyrics hit hard; “Let's think before we go and hit send/You're cryin' to me on the phone again/I think this conversation needs to end”.
During ‘She’s an Actress’, Minnette takes a wander through the crowd, graciously weaving through the crowd to the ‘B stage’. The trio, lit only by 2 small lamps, treated the audience to an acoustic set with 3 of their biggest hits, Pictures of Girls, 1980s Horror Film and OK. Suddenly the show felt very intimate, stage lighting was minimal, only to highlight the call and response from band to crowd in Pictures of Girls. It felt like a backyard session, only with a few thousand people in attendance. As the band retreated back to the main stage, bassist Braeden Lemasters really got to impress. Showing off lead vocals on ‘Going Under’, his raspy yet powerful voice didn’t go unnoticed. As he took his turn to tour the crowd, this time through the aisles in the seated section, fans swooned and moved out from their seats to get a closer look.
The encore began with the band's biggest hit to date Are You Bored Yet?, a track with over 940 MILLION listens on spotify. The crowd exploded with energy. Lights flashed as the crowd danced, jumped and sang. It's been a while since I’ve seen such an animated crowd like this at a show. Throwing themselves into the experience and taking it for everything it is worth. The youthful joy amongst the crowd was spine tingling.
The show came to an end with yet another huge hit Remember When, from Wallows debut album. The hyper indie-pop track feels like a montage to all the greatest moments in your life. For many in the crowd I’m sure this show makes that list.
Wallows are a force, the teenage nostalgia that oozes from their music reminds me of the likes of All-American Rejects, The Kooks and The Arctic Monkeys. Their stage presence and energy is magnetic even for the most casual of listeners. There’s no doubt Wallows will cement themselves into this generation's sentimental throwback playlists for years to come.