By Iris Carlson

All photos by Quinn Blackburn

On a snowy Thursday night in Syracuse Wallows brought a burst of energy to The Westcott with their powerful indie rock songs. Braeden LeMasters, Dylan Minnette, and Cole Preston have been touring the United States for about a month now promoting their debut album, Nothing Happens.

The night started with British group, Penelope Isles, swaying the crowd with their lush synths and dream-like melodies. They kept us engaged as they talked to the fans and joked that everyone was only there to see Wallows. I appreciated the humility, but they actually put on a great show that genuinely impressed me.

Wallows burst onto the stage illuminated by flashing purple, blue, and yellow lights that were slightly blinding, but added to the fervor that was going through the crowd. The Los Angeles based trio opened with “Sidelines,” a melodic single from their full-length album. The group went on to play some of my personal favorite songs from their earlier discography: “These Days,” “Sun Tan,” and “Pictures of Girls.” There’s something about the staccato keyboard notes, the live trumpet player, and the way Braeden and Dylan switch verses that keeps you captivated throughout all of their songs.

The boys took one song to slow things down, with Braeden taking the stage, solo, to perform “1980s Horror Film,” a track narrating an unfortunate plot twist for the protagonist. This serene moment didn’t last long though, as they soon sparked intense bouncing in the crowd once again with “Remember When.” 

The group had a great stage presence, frequently jumping around and calling out to the crowd. They gave a few nods to Syracuse, mentioning the snow and giving Clairo – a former student – a shout-out during their collaboration. 

They finally closed the show sans encore (as they had to quickly leave) with perhaps their most sing-able song, “Scrawny.” The chorus recites the same line three times backed by an intense drumbeat, and The Westcott shook with the energy of a sold-out crowd repeatedly chanting “scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle.”

I left the concert feeling extremely satisfied with the experience – and feeling like I should listen to Wallows a whole lot more than I do.