On March 31, a Thursday night, Athens’ alternative music lovers packed local Casa Nueva to see Cincinnati’s own up-and-coming band, Walk The Moon. The concert was free of charge for those over 21 and two bucks for 18 and up; an incredible cost considering the promotional email from accompanying and local band, Mind Fish, boasting “they [Walk The Moon] are going to be famous, see them now before you need to pay big money to do so! Don’t miss history in the making!” Their claims were proven easily true. In coming years, the Athens community members and students who were privileged enough to witness Walk The Moon’s gig, will lay claim to supporting what will be an incredibly admired and successful band.
Influenced by artists such as Talking Heads, Grizzly Bear, The Killers and Empire of the Sun, Walk The Moon refers to their genre as indie, visual, and lyrical, certainly a perfect description for the lively show they execute. Their latest album, “i want, i want!”, highlights artwork that swirls with rich, jewel tones of the rainbow, splashes of bright, contrasting colors and childlike cartoons including sketches of bumblebees swirling within the beard of an elderly man’s chin. This fanciful, joyous, candid artwork does not only represent their music and album, but its energy buzzes through the limbs of each band member; silliness sparkling within their sweat, cheer falling from their lips with every song. Band members Nicholas Petricca (synth/percussion/vocals), Kevin Ray (bass/vocals), Sean Waugaman (drums/samples/vocals), and Chris Robinson (guitar/vocals) exude nothing but pure bliss, a kind of musical ecstasy you rarely find in young musicians today.
With such a captivating youthful quality, they do not lack sophistication in their written music and lyrics, as well as their natural ability to command the attention and adoration of their audience. It’s almost as if, even though there’s something undeniably inventive about their musical branding, they’re certainly a group to be respected for their talent, skills in presentation and adaptation of old-school tricks and fundamentalism. The overall choreography of their show is genius; they engage their audience by speckling their faces with similar colors as to that of their album art. That’s right: face paint. Throughout the evening, friends of the band approached audience members offering them brightly colored finger paint to be dappled on their skin in intricate and fluid designs. By the end, everyone looked as if they were part of Walk The Moon’s music, part of a larger experience and one that has actually gone viral on Youtube in their music video for track “Anna Sun,” as its members were decorated similarly.
Lead vocalist Nicholas Petricca has a masculine voice, which is almost sexually appealing with its vintage edge and pop appeal. His tone is not only strong and seemingly well trained, but also expresses the warm liquidity of carefully correct pitch. Not only can Petricca croon like a nightingale, but also the band members as a whole can harmonize smoothly as a group, similar to that of band influence Grizzly Bear, specifically in their track “Iscariot.” Meanwhile Kevin Ray can slap a mean bass, Sean Waugman hammers out awesome electro-pop beats the genre has rarely ever tampered with, and Chris Robinson works his guitar in a manner that is far beyond his years.
The show was an experience audience members noted as unique, dynamic and unforgettable, not only due to the production being inventive, organized and tactful. Walk The Moon is a classic example of the perfect combination of musical character and skill, hands down.
Photo thanks to Sara Daniels