On Tuesday, May 14, Wallows took their Nothing Happens tour through Detroit, Michigan. The show sold out rather quickly, about two or three weeks after tickets went on sale. My best friend had purchased us tickets as an early birthday gift and I am so glad she did. El Club is not one of my favorite venues, but I was willing to put up with it if it meant getting to hear one of my favorite bands perform live. Although it’s a rather small venue, it was still a huge jump from the record store that they had played at last year, so I was beyond excited. When we got to the venue, about two hours before doors, we were pleasantly surprised to see a decent line outside the venue. I was also surprised to see a lot of people there that I did not recognize. Usually, my friends and I see the same crowd at shows that we attend, but this time around, I saw completely different fans. The sun was beating down and I could tell that everyone couldn’t wait to get into the venue.
Joy Again was the opener and they were absolutely amazing. They kept the crowd on their feet and managed to keep the energy high and the crowd excited. There were even a couple mosh pits that opened up to a few songs. Usually during the opening act, the crowd is just swaying along to the beat, nothing too crazy. So it was interesting to see the difference for Joy Again. They are amazing performers and I would definitely recommend checking them out if you haven’t already!
Once Wallows came on, the energy was through the roof. The atmosphere was high-energy, with fans jumping around and screaming the words. I was amazed at the amount of people singing the words back. My favorite Wallows song is “Sun Tan” and I was determined to hear it live that night. Back in February, I asked Kevin Grimmett (the bassist of HUNNY) if he was going to be touring with Wallows this time around, since he usually does. When he said that he wouldn’t be, I told him that the reason I asked was because I wanted to make sure that “Sun Tan” was going to be on the setlist. He assured me that it probably would be. When they played their first show on this tour and “Sun Tan” was nowhere to be found, I was a little upset. I spent the next couple months jokingly tweeting Braeden (singer and rhythm guitarist for Wallows) to add the song on the setlist or to at least play it in Detroit. I knew it wasn’t going to happen, but up until the minute doors opened I was sending telepathic waves into the venue. I wasn’t thinking about it much during the show, if I’m honest, but once Braeden started introducing one of the songs with “We usually don’t play this song,” I knew I was going to get what I had been waiting for. I remember my best friend looking over to me with excitement. She knew what was going to happen as well. We spent the next couple minutes screaming our hearts out and dancing to our favorite song together. Knowing that my tweets could have possibly made an influence on their setlist for the night warmed my heart. They really take into consideration what their fans want to hear and they give it to them with no hesitation.
Nothing Happens is one of my favorite albums and hearing it live was truly an experience. I can honestly say that this show was one of my favorite concerts ever, and not just because they added “Sun Tan” to the setlist for the night. The atmosphere was unbelievable and I could tell that everyone was having an amazing time. If you ever get the chance, I would definitely recommend seeing Wallows on tour; you will not be disappointed. If you’re from the Detroit area, Wallows will be back in July when they take the stage for Mo Pop festival; if not, check the band’s social media pages for updates!
Cover photo by Nikoli Partiyeli
Written by Elizabeth, edited by Amy!
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