WALK THE MOON @ The Greek Theatre
December 9, 2015
Over 5,500 seats slowly fill up, each seating an excited and impatient person, all waiting for Walk The Moon concert at the Greek Theatre on Oct 29. Walk The Moon, often stylized as WALK THE MOON, are an indie rock band, hailing from Ohio, and consists of four members: Nick Petricca, Eli Maiman, Kevin Ray, and Sean Waugaman. The group headlined their first show at the Greek Theatre, and the concert was able to be livestreamed for all who could not attend.
Opening for the group was the astral indie pop duo, HOLYCHILD, and the magnificent indie pop band Saint Motel. HOLYCHILD’s lead vocalist Liz Nistico was a sight, as the Los Angeles native donned a pair of metallic gold parachute pants and delivered with incredible vocals and an infectious stage presence. Saint Motel was also an infectious band, as their feel- good music filled the hearts and souls of all who were in their seats. Saint Motel’s sound has been described as a little bit of everything, but mostly described as “dream pop”, and that description held true, as the band astonished with outstanding vocals, percussion, and a killer saxophone and trumpet solo.
A short, but long in spirit, intermission was held between the set of Saint Motel and Walk The Moon. More seats started filling up quickly, as time slowly ticked away. Though many were impatiently waiting for the headlining act, a myriad also enjoyed the beauty of the Greek Theatre and Griffith Park. The Greek Theatre is, of course, styled after a Greek amphitheater. The venue is open and is outside and is also surrounded by trees and wildlife. The theatre is a historic Hollywood venue, and was built in 1929, in the beginning stages of Hollywood’s golden cinema age.
At 9:27 p.m., the lights of the Greek Theatre dimmed, and the venue was soon filled with cheers of passionate fans. Walk The Moon was coming on the stage and everyone was ready to put on their dancing shoes. The Lion King’s “The Circle Of Life” had begun to play as the group made their way onto stage. “The Circle Of Life” effortlessly transitioned to the band’s very own “Jenny”, an upbeat track from the band’s major-label debut album WALK THE MOON. Thousands of music lovers had already felt the other-worldly presence of Walk The Moon. The band themselves, dance to the beat of their heart, and their happiness and contagious energy reflect greatly in the audience, as all who were in attendance let loose and let all their troubles and worries leave them.
“I Can Lift A Car,” a very audience interactive song, had begun, but not before frontman, Nick Petricca, had begun the “initiation” part of the song, and talked to the audience as if they were long time friends. Petricca sent out positive vibes and demanded that the audience figuratively take out all the “bad stuff” inside of them that makes them self-doubt themselves and makes themselves feel horrible, and place it into their hands and throw it up, overhead, and into the air. USC student and concert attendee Amanda Kirkham states that this song is one of her favorites that the band performs.
“It is a very hippie moment but it’s also an attempt to really bring the whole crowd together for even just a few minutes,” Kirkham said. “It’s also great at getting people to let go of all the stress they’ve held onto for the week, and to just be in the moment, enjoying the music, along with 6,000 other people.”
Kirkham attended the concert with fellow student and friend, Kili Maii, who has seen Walk The Moon a total of about ten times.
“WTM first-timers are sometimes thrown by the seemingly manic enthusiasm fans (like us) display at concert: we wear crazy face paint and are very liberal with the hugs. After participating in this ritual you will either conclude A.) This band is way to hippy-dippy and into feelings or B.) These are my people,” Maii said.
Walk The Moon fans are incredibly enthusiastic and full of non-stop energy. The entire venue did not stop dancing and overall, never stopped having a great time, as Walk The Moon does not miss a single beat. The group performs a mixture of songs from WALK THE MOON and their second album TALKING IS HARD. The group never fails to entertain and impress, with amazing audience participation and the use of several large bubble machines during the performance of “Aquaman,” a slightly more melancholic song with an underwater feel.
The concert was about two and a half hours, and soon the band began to close with a high-energy performance of their smash hit “Shut Up And Dance.” After about a five minute break, Walk The Moon reemerged onto the stage to perform an encore performance of their first smash hit, “Anna Sun.” The stage was then adorned with sparks of fire and electricity. The night went out with a bang, and while it was a bittersweet moment, there was more excitement, energy, and happiness than before.