Canadian band Walk Off The Earth was welcomed by the University Student’s Council to perform their music at The Wave on Friday October 19th.
Having seen Walk Off The Earth at the Vans’ Warped Tour in 2009, I could not wait to see them play again at Western and I, along with many others, was not left disappointed. The band played some of their old original songs like “Julia” and “Broke” but what really got the ground going was when Sarah Blackwood announced, “we’re gonna have to reset for this song” – and The Wave erupted into a roaring applause.
All eyes were on Gianni, Sarah, Marshall, Mike and Joel as they all crowded around one acoustic guitar to wow the audience with their sublime version of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know” – the cover that blew up on YouTube and led to their surmounting success.
Photo Credit: Larissa Kostiner
With humble beginnings in Burlington Ontario the band, consisting of 5 multi-talented musicians, revolutionized the world of indie bands blew up on YouTube, with their Gotye cover gaining over 35 MILLION views in just two weeks.
This brilliant cover drew attention to their impressive body of work: a multitude of their original songs and covers alike that use uncommon instruments like the kazoo, glockenspiel and theremin.
The intimate setting at The Wave only intensified the excitement of their music: all you focused on was the sound of their hypnotizing voices, the intricacy of various instruments, and the adrenaline of the crowd. It was absolutely amazing to see how versatile each band member was, and I was struck and inspired by the sheer brilliance of their originality and stage presence.
Photo: http://www.facebook.com/photo….
On their Facebook page the band explains the significance of their name “Walk Off The Earth” by describing it as “a state of mind. When you’re deeply entranced by a collection of musical compositions that is walk off the earth. You will tend to forget about your problems of the day. You’ll let the drum beat and the melodies take you away to a place where you can only get by walking off this earth.”
Overall, having the opportunity to experience a live performance of Walk Off The Earth did not fail to satisfy all of the enthusiastic fans, both old and new. With a great appreciation of the band, their show was exciting and Western would love to have them back!
Article Cover Picture: Erin Blackwood http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152113434755357&set=a.10150249785120357.530939.75075990356&type=1&theater