Last night, something pretty damn cool went down. Walk The Moon, a
four member band from Ohio came to the Thekla, in Bristol, to do a gig. I WAS
THERE.
By the time the
indie pop/rock music moguls graced the eager crowd with their presence
(luminous face paint, check) every fan in the building was more than ready to
sing, dance, throw themselves around and generally express every last bit of
emotion they had to offer. This was of course helped along by lead singer
Nicholas Petricca, as he began a sensual and very physical demonstration of
letting the "bad shit" go, which involved a bit of 'heart' grabbing
(picture him gripping his Pecs with full force!), a bit of swirling of the arms
and a climax; every single person throwing their hands to the ceiling and
wiggling their fingers ferociously. All this, to ensure that the crowd, for at
least one hour, could feel free and happy. Don't get a therapist; Walk The Moon
will do the same job for less money.
As the set
progressed, the atmosphere kept building in intensity and wildness. However
none of this stopped the crowd from entering a trance like state when the band
played their ballad, 'Iscariot'. I am yet to work out the true meaning of this
song, for it is not a typical slow long about romantic affairs. The song speaks
of a 'friend' and 'brother' often, as well as mentioning death, trust, and the
fate we create for ourselves. It was this song which really gave Nick the
chance to shine vocally. The mellow music allowed his voice to echo around the
venue like a religious chant, and his remarkable talent became impossible to
ignore. It's also imperative not to ignore the talent of every other member of
the band, all capable of playing instruments other than their chosen ones, and
all with valuable singing skills which create harmonious and enchanting backing
vocals. Watching Nicholas and Kevin move from vocals, to keyboard, to guitar,
to bass, to drums, to the tambourine was a humbling experience, and one that
would be sure to make you quite envious of the musical talent these boys
possess.
The rest of the
set was a frenzy of head bopping, jumping, clapping and dancing, with bassist
Kevin bringing arguably the most energy to the stage with his undeniably sexual
thrusting, tongue sticking out and leopard print leggings. At one point, the
crowd were offered the microphone and sang an entire verse by themselves,
surprisingly in tune as well. The band's faces lit up in awe at this moment,
and it became apparent how happy they truly were to be with us, on a boat,
sharing their music. If their happiness could not infect you simply from
listening to the album, I'd tell you to watch their YouTube videos, and if you
were still at a loss I'd prescribe attending a Walk The Moon gig immediately. I
do not believe even the most angst-full of teenagers could resist this bands
live energy.
Credit must also be given to the two support acts who kept the
crowd entertained for almost two hours; The Rubens and
another band who I honestly have no idea who they were (I think they were
called MD but I can't find a website, YouTube or twitter page for them) but if
I find out I'll let you know because they had hair similar to a tumblr girls',
moustaches that would put Brendan Brady to shame and chest hair that could
rival King Kong. Their edgy rock got the crowd going and injected some well
needed 'cool' into my dull student life.
Despite not being
able to stay to meet the band *sob* Walk The Moon, their support acts
and the Thekla put on an incredible night that I don't think anyone wanted to
end. I would describe Walk The Moon as happiness personified and I hope to God
(being the atheist I am) that it is not long before the boys come back to the
UK for another reviving night of perfection.
x
