Photo Credit: Adela Cucu
Wallows rock Budweiser Stage.
Adela Cucu, Associate Arts Editor
The alternative rock band Wallows is most commonly recognized by their lead singer and star of the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why, Dylan Minnette. However, the band wouldn’t be complete without their bassist Braeden Lemasters, and drummer Cole Preston. They recently wrapped up a world tour promoting their latest album Model, with one of their biggest shows at Budweiser Stage in Toronto, which I had the pleasure of attending. As a fan of their music, I was excited, but truth be told, their performance without a doubt exceeded all of my expectations – it was truly something else!
The concert kicked off with “Calling After Me,” a track from their new album, and continued with a mix of old and new songs (something I really appreciated, being more familiar with their older music). With vibrant lighting that matched the tempo of each song and a massive screen behind the band showcasing the band’s name and album cover at one point, the stage was so mesmerizing to look at and made the experience all the more magical. About halfway through the show, the band started walking through the audience — my friends and I went crazy thinking they would walk by us. To our disappointment, they walked on the left side aisle and through the center… but then to our shock, they started playing a few hits (“1980s Horror Film” being my favourite) right there in the center of the audience! They had a small setup, complete with candles, creating an intimate and heartwarming atmosphere.
I was pleasantly surprised to see how down-to-earth the three band members seemed. On stage, they acted and spoke like normal people, casually chatting with the audience as if they were hanging out with friends. At one point, Cole, the drummer, mentioned in between songs what he and his bandmates were doing downtown the other day. He stumbled on his words as he explained they spent their free time exploring Queen Street and trying out an escape room. He awkwardly asked the crowd, “Does anyone here, uh, like escape rooms?” The crowd roared in response, and not really knowing what to say next, he passed the mic back to Dylan for the next song. That little moment was beautiful — it humanized them in my eyes. It even made me think that achieving something big, something like performing in front of a crowd of thousands of people (even if I don’t aspire to be a performer) felt a little more attainable, like anyone could achieve something big like that – like it’s not something impossible.
Overall, the energy throughout the entire concert was incredible, thinking back on it now fills me with a nostalgic sense of longing. Songs like “Bad Dream,” “These Days,” and “Just Like a Movie” had that coming-of-age feel — reminiscent of The Perks of Being a Wallflower —that makes you feel like the main character in an indie high school film. As an avid concertgoer, this show has to be one of my favourites yet. I hope I can speak to a few Wallows fans out there, or maybe even help make someone a new fan!
