Alternative band Wallows performed a mesmerizing show at Houston’s Smart Financial Center to promote their latest album Model.
Wallows formed in 2011 and consists of members Dylan Minnette, Braeden Leemasters and Cole Preston. Originally known as the Narwhals, the trio officially released their music independently in 2017, starting with their well-known single “Pleaser” and released an EP titled Spring in 2018. Most recently, Wallows released their third album titled MODEL, and announced a huge North American tour.
The last time Wallows performed in Houston was a rained out show at White Oak Music Hall, so it was great to see that the summer show would happen inside at the Smart Financial Center. Fans in the pit waited for the band all day to secure good spots, and some even travelled from around the nation to attend the special Houston show.
Starting off the night was singer Benee, a well-known singer from Auckland who previously performed with artists like Lily Allen and Role Model. Sporting a cutesy striped ensemble with the most fashionable boots ever created, Benee started off with the track “Kool,” followed by “Soaked” and “Beach Boy.” She took a short pause to take bracelets from the fans in the front row, and also showed off her bedazzled microphone to Houston. Another fan threw a commemorative Buc-ees plushy, in which she fixed it on her microphone and had it on for the entire show.
Benee performed more songs like “Find an Island” and “Wishful Thinking,” and continued to be as interactive as possible with the crowd. On top of taking a BeReal moment on a fan’s phone, she also took another fan’s digital camera to record the entire crowd. Benee also performed two unreleased tracks, “Sad Boiii” and “Animal,” and finished her set with her hit songs “Green Honda” and “Supalonely.” Her fun and bubbly personality definitely warmed up the crowd, but immediately as Benee left the stage, everyone prepped for what was yet to come.
Wallows was the main act of the night, and fans were geared up. The lights dimmed and the curtain shined bright as the band walked up to their designated spots. Wallows began to play “Do Not Wait,” and fans everywhere were audibly crying or shaking in their boots. The curtain fell, and BAM – Wallows jumped everywhere as they began the track “Your Apartment,” which connected to “Anytime, Always” and “Scrawny.”
“Is it Houston? or is it Sugar Land?” Minnette asked in confusion in regards on how to address the city. The crowd voted to be addressed as Houston, as the cheers were never-ending. Their live environment was beyond beautiful – each song had its own authentic background instead of some kind of video, which made it feel more intimate. Minnette continued to talk to Houston – “Last time we were in Houston, we had to skip this song because we got rained out” he said as they began to perform “Just Like A Movie.” The song was followed by “A Warning,” which was accompanied by a starry stage, and “Uncomfortable.”
During the song “She’s an Actress” from their latest album, Minnette took the liberty to greet fans as he walked all over the aisles in the lower sections. He returned to the stage, where he joined Preston and Leemasters sitting in their B-Stage setup. Wallows performed acoustic renditions of the tracks “Pictures of Girls,” “1980s Horror Film” and “Drunk on Halloween” – fans sang along as loud as possible. They returned to the main stage and immediately Braeden headed to the upper levels for the track “Worlds Apart.”
The band ended their set with “Are You Bored Yet?,” where Houston sang Clairo’s part word for word, and their single from MODEL titled “Only Ecstasy.” In a shocking twist, the known setlist was switched, as the band returned to perform “Remember When” and “I Don’t Wanna Talk.” The band hopped to the barricade to pick up gifts from fans and hand off setlists, drumsticks and guitar picks to the front row.
The enthusiasm continued to increase over time, as Wallows and even Benee remained interactive with Houston. The show was so intimate and all of the performers were absolutely down to earth. On top of their setlist being a great recollection of the hits and showcases the best songs from MODEL, Wallows managed to put on an amazing show where nothing felt short. The simplistic yet alert stage design, the cool b-stage moment, band members making the entire theater feel welcome, it was a show for the ages.
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.
