With the concert not starting until 7 p.m., it was surprising to see about 40 people lined up to see the Wallows at 2:30 p.m.. The enthusiasm from the crowd was there before anyone working the event even was.

The stage at Ace of Spades was decorated with a number of tall lamps, several  instruments under black covers and a slew of lights hanging behind the setup. With the stage set, the crowd eagerly awaited the show to begin and one fan expressed that excitement by using their phone to flash black and white text, pointing it to the crowd stating, “Who’s ready for WALLOWS?!” 

The anticipation was boiling over and so were the people. The room was abnormally hot with many concertgoers sweating exceedingly before the first mic check. One person collapsed during this wait period from apparent heat exhaustion and was helped out by security. 

When the show started, the opener Spill Tab came out much to the crowd’s pleasure. Composed of singer and lead guitarist Claire Chicha and background bass player Caleb Buchanan, the two played a number of songs with a few different instruments and garnered some great crowd interaction. By performing “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson and “Yeah!” by Usher (with a ukulele), they had the entire audience singing along delightedly. 

When they left, an absurdly long waiting period of around 40 minutes took place to the displeasure of the crowd. People were scooting closer to the front, leaving little to no room for comfort and the room only seemed to get hotter. By the time the alternative rock band came out, the room already reeked of sweat.  

With the instruments uncovered and the lamps lit up in a cool blue tint, the stage felt lively. The group sprung right into song after an ovation from the crowd and immediately brought the energy back into the building. 

Lead singer Dylan Minnette took no time at all to begin jumping with his guitar, slamming chords and generally having a good time. Bass guitarist Braeden Lemasters and drummer Cole Preston carried the energy Minnette was exerting well and it was apparent they enjoyed what they were doing.

About four songs into the show, Minnette announced: “I think this is the hottest show I’ve ever done,” after wiping off sweat with a towel. The band took a few breaks between songs, but when they did, it was due to thunderous applause or to switch instruments. The talent between the group was astonishing as Minnette would switch to drums, trombone and even a harmonica, and all three took turns to sing. 

Members of the touring group were in a similar light. Though not members of the band, they would switch to random instruments lying near them when the song called for it. This was where the energy of the core group wasn’t felt. A secondary bass player next to Minnette would bob his head now and then, but was otherwise static. A keyboard and guitar player on the far right of the band was emotionless with not even a foot tap or head bob to be seen. For the duration of the show, he smiled once to waive at someone. While again, they aren’t typically a part of Wallows, their presence on stage is still felt and the lack of any enthusiasm to play for a sold-out show that some waited over six hours to see was underwhelming. 

The lights played a huge part in the band’s set by flashing colors in sync with the mood of a certain song and setting a generally enjoyable ambiance around the band. When heavier climaxes of songs happened with the core group playing their hearts out, their lights would accentuate that feeling by flashing accenting colors to the beat of the song, giving Wallows an esteemed stage presence quite unrivaled by most acts. 

Overall, Wallows’ performance was spectacular. They played the hits everyone wanted to hear, and the best parts of their newest album, Tell Me That It’s Over, and a beautifully melancholic performance of “Guitar Romantic Search Adventure” to give added flavor and variety to the already fantastic set. Minnette has a true knack for performing and was a complete highlight the entire time. Lemasters interacted great with the crowd and had some standout vocal performances. Preston was fantastic on the drums and vocals. I would highly recommend seeing this band live if you are a fan of theirs as the performance is totally worth it.