Live Music: Wallows
House of Blues in Orlando, FL
By Jade Pike
Despite the typical dread of a Monday night, Wallows took over the city of Orlando with a sold out show at the House of Blues on February 17th. Bringing UK act, Penelope Isles along for the ride, the band put on one of their strongest performances a few dates into their latest, and possibly largest tour yet. Fans wrapped around the building, spanning into the parking lot, waiting for the doors of the venue to open. Girls dressed in plaid and cropped shirts, a staple look in the indie community. People sprinted to the front of the pit once let inside, hoping to get a clear view of the band for the show that was to come.
As Wallows took the stage, shouts came from everywhere in the room. The lights strobed with an ambient track sounding through the speakers. The stage illuminated in a vibrant red as the first riff to Scrawny rang out. There was not a word that the audience didn’t know. The voices of the packed room nearly overpowered that of the lead singer, Dylan’s. Following this energetic track was a song by the name of Sun Tan. The lights faded to a desaturated yellow, mimicking rays of sunlight shining onto the band. Nearing the end of this song, I recognized a familiar tune. It then sparked my realization that they had merged this song with a melody from the Drake and Josh theme song.
This was a crowd unlike any I had ever seen. The energy in the room was bursting through the roof, everyone could feel the excitement of the fans. By only the third song, you could even see the band feeding off of this energy. Dylan set the guitar aside for a moment as he strutted across the stage for These Days. He leaned over the stage to engage those lined up at the barricade. Girls reached for his hand, calling out his name. He smiled as he sang out, assuring to stop by every point on the front of the stage.
A bit later in the set, the band mentioned a fan they had met earlier in the day. He had asked to play a song with them onstage. This fan, Nick, was then invited onstage for Pictures of Girls. He took over the guitar, strumming out powerful riffs to the song. The entire room was chanting his name, even the band looked shocked at his ability to play. It was a moment any fan would have dreamed of experiencing. Along with this interaction, Dylan also took a bouquet of flowers from a girl on the barricade.
Closing out the night, the band came out with a three song encore. Of these songs were 1980s Horror Film, Only Friend, and the beloved, Pleaser. It was a show unlike any other I had seen. These fans are some of the most fun, energetic people and to see them all in a place they love, supporting a band they adore, was incredible. As Wallows finishes up their tour, many will be anxiously waiting to see what they have in store for the rest of the year.
