Indie rock band Awolnation brought the Phantom Five tour to Houston’s House of Blues with support from Bryce Fox and Makua.
Awolnation returned to Houston on April 2nd for a momentous show. The last time they took over Houston was as an opener for 311 back in 2024, now they are back to headline their own show. The show started earlier than the scheduled time, which seemed to catch a few people off guard. However, that immediately transformed the venue into a lively atmosphere, as fans geared up for an eventful night.
At the helm of it all was Aaron Bruno, who poured on the energy from the very beginning. The lead singer often encouraged the audience to jump and sing along. There was electricity in the building, as Bruno was born to rock the stage, and the crowd responded in kind. It was not a sit back and listen to the band play a song type of show; as Bruno passionately invited everyone in attendance to participate.
The set started with “Jump Sit Stand March” followed by classic tracks like “Kill Your Heroes” and “RUN”. For those who have followed Awolnation from the beginning, the setlist fully focused nostalgia rather than promoting new works. The show seemed as a celebration to their debut album Megalithic Symphony, which was released in 2011. With songs like “Burn It Down” and “Soul Wars,” fans absolutely ate it up nonetheless.
The band delivered a tight performance that displayed their range musically. From Bruno’s crisp vocals to Zach Irons shredding on guitar, the show was a complete immersive experience that felt like a dream. Bruno often interacted with fans, specifically he encouraged the venue to light up their lighters, phone lights and “candles (if they snuck one in)” during the track “Holy Roller.”
As the end of the night approached, there was an impending sense of anticipation for the encore finale. The first few notes of “Sail” blasted through the venue, and as a result, everyone immediately cheered. Every phone was raised to capture this moment and as always, the entire building was filled with the iconic chorus. The audience sang and blended their voices with Bruno’s, and it was the perfect ending to a night of nostalgia and high-energy.
In conclusion, Awolnation’s Houston performance confirmed their reputation as a notable act in the indie scene who can always provide an energetic live experience. Make sure to catch the band while you can on their current tour, more information available here.
I'm a full-time music journalist/photographer from Houston, number one Paramore fan and Husky dog owner. I have a B.S in Radio-Television-Film from UT Austin and a M.A in Mass Communications from the University of Houston, which makes me smart! On top of being an avid concert-goer and movie fanatic, I love bonding with others over the power of local music and media.
