Following the release of their third album ‘Model’, Wallows returned to the UK to play seven highly anticipated shows.
Since booking the tickets, I had been waiting excitedly for the final performance of the run at the famous Alexandra Palace in London.
After the opener, up-and-coming artist Matilda Mann, thousands of phones snapped a picture of the Wallow sign, as they counted down the minutes until Braeden Lemasters, Dylan Minnette and Cole Preston took to the stage.
The first note of the song ‘Do Not Wait’ was welcomed with an eruption of screams from the audience.
The show started with the band behind a gauze and the stage backlit with a blue colour wash to show only their silhouettes, the blue being a clever nod to the cover of their debut album ‘Nothing Happens’, which the song is from.
The song cut into ‘Your Apartment’, with the beat drop triggering the gauze to fall, revealing the band.
The high energy, upbeat song was the ideal official opener to the show.
From a fan perspective, going from ‘Do Not Wait’ to ‘Your Apartment’ was a perfect yet subtle way to showcase their journey as musicians, with both songs being the first on their respective albums - ‘Nothing Happens’ (2019) and ‘Model’ (2024).
Throughout the show, Wallows performed a variety of songs from their discography, all beautifully encapsulating the teenage experience of heartbreak, relationships and angst.
Despite the often complex and emotional lyrics, they still found a way to make every song danceable and full of spirit.
Braeden was clearly destined for this, his stage presence and charm illuminating the stage.
During the show, they navigated their way to a smaller, more intimate stage in the middle of the audience - an innovative way of allowing everyone a good view.
This stage had microphones, two guitars and a keyboard, transporting the audience into their living room writing sessions.
Between the songs, the boys showcased their friendship and personalities through small chats with the audience, a highlight being Cole expressing his newfound love for the Greggs sausage roll (a revelation which received very loud applause from the audience!).
After the chants of “One more song!” filled the venue, the band obligingly returned for an encore.
First they delighted the crowd with ‘Are You Bored Yet?’, Dylan jokingly introducing this, their most popular song, with “Not sure if you guys know this one!”
They followed this with ‘Only Ecstasy’, an emotional song which gave Dylan the opportunity to showcase his powerful vocals.
The atmosphere was electric throughout and it was the perfect night out.
You didn’t need to be a hardcore Wallows fan to have an amazing time.
In my opinion, the standout songs were ‘Quarterback’, ‘OK’, ‘Remember When’ and ‘I Don’t Want To Talk’.
Hopefully the band will release new music soon, giving the an excuse to come back to the UK for more incredible shows!
