Los Angeles indie rockers Wallows recently wrapped up the UK leg of their “Model Tour” at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace, delivering an unforgettable final show to 10.000 excited fans who had braved the climb up to the venue. Following a brilliant opening set by Matilda Mann, the stage was cloaked in a long white sheet, concealing the band until the grand reveal – the first notes of the cinematic ‘Do Not Wait’. As the song wrapped up, the group seamlessly transitioned into ‘Your Apartment’, and with the dramatic drop of the sheet, the band was revealed, greeted by ecstatic cheers that echoed through the hall.
The setlist was a carefully crafted journey through Wallows’ discography, each song a highlight met with rapturous applause and thousands of fans singing along at the top of their lungs. The trio – made up of lead singer Dylan Minnette, guitarist Braeden Lemasters and drummer Cole Preston –, alongside their longtime touring band, brought the best of their entrancing atmosphere and musical talents to engulf the Londoner venue in their trademark California sunshine. The energy then rose to yet another level during ‘She’s an Actress’, when frontman Minnette surprised fans by jumping off the stage and making his way through the packed venue to the smaller B-stage, which had been placed in the middle of the floor and decorated with a small piano, comfy chairs and a couple of lamps giving off a soft warm hue, reminiscent of the cover art of their latest album ‘Model’. Soon, members Lemasters and Preston joined him, ready to deliver a stripped-back, intimate set of ‘Pictures of Girls’, ‘Drunk on Halloween’, and ‘1980s Horror Film’, while chatting to the ecstatic audience and sharing laughs in between song breaks to create an even closer bond with everyone present and get the crowd involved.
Unsurprisingly, each performed hit, fan interaction and telling of gratitude and the importance of the evening for the Cali-trio was met with an overwhelming response, while the show’s colourful and everchanging background and lighting – soft pinks, purples, and blues – added a layer of magic to the concert, especially during fan-favourite ‘Just Like A Movie’, during which the stage transformed into a fairytale sunset, complete with a star-lit scene that followed.
As the show neared its end, the alt-band briefly left the stage only to return to euphoric chants for their encore of the uber-popular number ‘Are You Bored Yet?’ and the closer ‘Ecstasy’, before white confetti filled the air and the three-piece took their final bows and left after a set of heartfelt goodbyes.
Written by Laura Weingrill // photography by Cloudy Thoughts
GEM Magazine 