On February 20, Wallows hit the stage for their second sold-out night in Charlotte, North Carolina, on their “Model & More” tour. Following their arena tour last year, the band embarked on a new North American tour, performing in about 24 states as well as playing two shows in Mexico. 

For their February dates, Deb Never joined them as the opener. The alternative-indie artist was a great opener for Wallows. She currently has one album out, Where Have All The Flowers Gone?, which came out in 2021. Deb Never has such an incredible sound, I can’t wait to listen to more of her music. She was able to keep the crowd’s energy high and primed for Wallows’ set. She played one song off her 2021 album, Sweet & Spice, then performed her 2024 releases “This Alive” and “Not In Love.” A couple other songs she played were “Say” and “Momentary Sweetheart,” off her 2023 EP titled Thank You For Attending, and “Out of Time” off her 2019 EP, House On Wheels EP. Out of her 11 song setlist, about five of the songs she played were unreleased. I will be on the lookout for the release of these songs; they were unbelievable!

When she announced her last song of the night, it made me wish she had another 30 minutes— she was sensational. You should definitely be on the lookout for new releases from her this year, and I will be catching her the next time she comes through North Carolina. 

When Wallows—Braeden Lemasters, Cole Preston, and Dylan Minnette—walked on stage, the crowd was deafening. They started their set with “Anytime, Always” from their most recent album, Model. As a casual listener of Wallows for the last handful of years, I knew they were a great band, but finally seeing them live made me realize just how phenomenal they are. The Wallows fan base is strong, and it showed—the crowd sang the lyrics back to every song and danced their hearts out the entire set. At one point, Minnette even hopped into the photo pit and climbed onto the barricade to sing with the front row

They played a 22-song set list ranging most of their discography. They played songs off their most recent album, Model, such as “Your Apartment,” “Calling After Me,” and “Bad Dream.” Charlotte Night 2 was in for a treat—hearing the live debut of their new song “Coffin Change,” which had just been released earlier that day. They also played songs off their albums Nothing Happens and Tell Me That It’s Over, as well as their EPs, Spring and Remote (Deluxe).

During the second half of their set they paused the show briefly to wish an important member of their crew, Chris, a happy birthday and had the crowd join them in a celebratory sing-along. They also played their song “Sun Tan” but changed the outro to be “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction, which had the crowd invigorated. It was galvanizing to hear some of my favorite songs, including “Remember When,” “Uncomfortable,” “Scrawny,” and “Pictures of Girls.” 

Between their incredible stage presence and the company of some friends (who are BIG Wallows fans), I had the best time of my life at this show! They truly know how to put on a spectacular performance. Now, I have the task of saving up and buying all their albums on vinyl!  

Wallows only have a couple dates left on their February leg, but don’t worry—they will hit the road again in May for another two-plus months, embarking on a similar series of performances. Be on the lookout for upcoming festival announcements as well, as the band is already set to play multiple this year. And to the fans seeking new music, Wallows are brewing up a pleasant surprise; their EP titled More will be released on March 28!