A total crowd-pleaser: Wallows take on Edinburgh’s O2 Academy
The LA-based band delivered all the hits on their ‘Model’ tour.
Photo: Isla Kerr
With Wallows currently doing the rounds touring their latest album Model across the UK and Europe, for once a rainy Wednesday in Edinburgh wasn’t a reason to bask in self-pity, as the American indie band were in town and ready to bring some of the sunshine state’s energy to Scotland’s dreary capital.
Hitting the city for the second of their two-night stay at Edinburgh’s O2 Academy, the room was literally humming with excitement moments before the LA-based three-piece took to the stage. Opening their set with the mellow yet moody Do Not Wait, monumental screams vibrated in eardrums as vocalist and guitarist Dylan Minnette walked out on stage, hoodie up.
But if you were naïve enough to think that this was a response to Dylan’s acting career, you were quickly proven otherwise as bandmates Braeden Lemasters (guitar/vocals) and Cole Preston (drums/guitar) each earned excited screeches of their own repeatedly throughout the next hour and a half.
Playing numerous tunes off their latest album, including the insanely catchy Your Apartment, the peppy, red-light bathed A Warning and jingly indie-pop track Calling After Me – which, by the way, were all masterfully performed – Wallows proved a dynamic presence, bringing the entire crowd up to their lively level for track-long sing-alongs and what felt like constant movement.
Although understandably, it was the oldies that really went down a treat. Tracks like Scrawny, These Days, Pleaser and Remember When were pretty much echoed word for word back to the band, while Dylan and Cole demonstrated their musical competence and versatility as they switched up instruments for a fresh rendition of Quarterback.
Yet, the most memorable music moment came with Uncomfortable, when Braeden’s raspy vocals added an unexpected grittiness to the song’s hypnotic guitar melody and pulsating drums. Before the phenomenal encore of fan favourite Are You Bored Yet? swiftly eclipsed this moment to earn the top spot, with the buzzing crowd carrying every note of the song and Dylan seamlessly adding Scotland’s unofficial anthem No Scotland No Party into the track.
With lots of dancing, lots of great tunes and undeniable stage presence, a night with Wallows is a night worth any indie-pop fan’s time, because if Dylan says, “We’re gonna try and play all the hits and have a great time,” you can be almost certain that’s exactly what’s going to happen.
All photos by Isla Kerr.