[Review] Wallows @ Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, 9/12/2024
Local Australian artist Grentperez opened the night, and what better way to warm up the young, already energetic and enthusiastic crowd than a lovable goofball whose fresh music was not only a tremendous enjoyment, but also an example or great local Australian indie music. His set was nothing short of fun and friendly, with no shortage of tomfoolery, that made the whole environment feel less like a concert and more of a house party hangout, with juicy grooves to help us love our feet, and banter in between tracks that always included audience participation allowed us to decompress with joy.
Wallows had the entirety of Margaret Court Arena in a grip of enthusiasm, as their intro rapidly built anticipation later by layer with large sheet casting shadows of the group opening with the slow somber Do Not Wait, all before the classic opening riff of Your Apartment ripped through the venue as the band was revealed. The boys’ laid back energy , as well as the seamless chemistry between them during in their performance was immediately apparent, through this energy delivering a sound that is both nostalgic and fresh simultaneously with a set list of tracks that can resonate with everyone.
Despite the venue being a large arena filled with hundreds and hundreds of screaming fans, the performance felt very intimate, similar to Grentperez in the sense that it felt like hanging out with friends watching mutual mates perform onstage. The charismatic yet chill interaction with the audience showed this enough, yet it skyrocketed when during She’s An Actress, Dylan slowly made his way through the crowd, taking time to high 5 fans in GA and connect with the audience, this followed shortly by Cole and Braeden, waded through the crowd to a smaller stage at the back of the GA, decorated with lamps providing mood lighting, where they performed a short acoustic set of three songs, Pictures of Girls, 1980s Horror Film and OK. Their fans singing along with them and sharing hilarious banter amongst all.
After the childhood mates made their way back to the main stage, after Braeden ran up and down the reserved sections of the arena screaming the lyrics of Calling After Me passionately, even though you could barely hear the band over the crowd screaming their adoration. Wallows provided an explosive encore to the show that was fuelled by the final volume of energy that the audience had been giving all night. It felt emotional and personal, hearing the boys turning their instruments and vocals both to 11, clearly showing their love of one of thier biggest hits Are You Bored Yet?, and Remember When to cap off the night.
As I’ve previously stated, in one emotional and triumphant night, Wallows had brought their indie LA sound to a city in which is perfectly fits the grunginess of Melbourne, and for any and all fans of indie rock, of all ages, the three childhood mates are a quintessential ensemble that perfectly captures why the genre is so beloved and relatable.
Wallows third studio album, Model is available now. They finish their Australian run in Brisbane on the 14th.
