Wallows Stops by Rams Head Live for the Nothing Happens Tour

Last week, I had the pleasure of catching Wallows on their sold-out show at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore, MD, for the Nothing Happens Tour. For those not familiar with the band, Wallows is made up of Braeden Lemasters (guitar, vocals), Dylan Minnette (guitar, keyboard, vocals), and Cole Preston (drums, vocals).

Nothing Happens is their first studio album, released on March 22, 2019. Within the first week of release, the album had already been streamed 5.3 million times in the US. They’ve performed their first single “Are You Bored Yet?” on the Late, Late Show with James Corden, as well as on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

Penelope Isles was the band lending support to the show. Based out of Brighton, UK, the band consists of siblings Jack Wolter (vocals, guitar) and Lily Wolter (vocals, bass, keys), Becky Redford (guitar, bass), and Jack Sowton (drums). Playing from their debut album Until the Tide Creeps In, their dreamy rock really seemed to warm up the crowd. Standout songs for me were “Chlorine” and “Cut Your Hair.” They definitely gained a slew of new fans after their performance.

Following a short change of set and equipment, Wallows made their way onstage. (Cue shrieks from adoring fans.) Accompanied by Danny Ferenbach (keys/trumpet) and Blake Morell (bass), the band launched into “Do Not Wait,” “Treacherous Doctor,” and “Sidelines.”

You can hear so many influences with the band’s sound that it’s hard to pinpoint them all, but they mix and meld things together so well that the sound is their very own. Vocal work was pretty evenly split between Braeden and Dylan. When the two sang together, like in “Just Like a Movie,” their voices meshed perfectly. Having performed together since they were very young, the trio’s sound was tight, and they played like a well-oiled machine.

The audience was filled mostly with teens, their parental escorts (hanging in the back), and a smattering of 20-somethings. All groups seemed to resonate with the band and their songs, many singing along to the lyrics. There were lots of cell phones streaming/filming/photographing, but the guys all took it in stride and seemed really grateful of their fans’ support.

At the end, the encore started out with just Braeden returning to the stage, doing a solo rendition of “1980s Horror Film” from their Spring EP. Then the other members joined onstage to perform two more songs.

A majority of the shows on this tour have been completely sold out or upgraded to larger venues to accommodate demand. This may be due, in part, to the fact that Dylan Minnette and Braeden Lemasters are also actors. Dylan is highly recognizable as Clay Jensen in Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why. I feel like fans are always curious and are good about seeking out and supporting their favorite celebrities’ other endeavors. But, even if you’re more familiar with their screen-time than their music, once you list, I’m sure you’ll be a fan of Wallows in the end.

On a side note, definitely check out their music videos on YouTube. They’re really fun in subject matter and always seem to have some sort of twist…or artistic spin in production: “These Days,” “Scrawny,” and “Remember When” are among my favorites.