Milwaukee – Saturday night at Summerfest, Ohio pop sensations Walk the Moon brought the largest audience employees recalled ever having seen at the U.S. Cellular Stage. The tightly packed crowd stretched out to the waterfront. Everywhere you turned, painted faces and smiles greeted you. Fans up front waited all day, also taking in The Griswolds and MisterWives. You’d think that by the time 10 p.m. rolled around, they’d be exhausted, but those dedicated fans seemed all the more energized. Then the song “The Circle of Life” from Disney’s The Lion King began to play. The band came out, all smiles, and frontman and master synthman Nicholas Petricca walked up to the head of the stage, raising his arms, singing along. The audience went crazy! People screamed and cheered. Hands flew everywhere. Handmade signs sprinkled the crowd. Some girls had tears in their eyes. And just when you thought things couldn’t get any crazier, Petricca exclaimed, “Let’s make some babies tonight, Milwaukee,” creating a deafening roar from the wall of bodies in front of them.
Best New Bands last caught Walk the Moon at the Hollywood Palladium in LA, when they kicked off their headlining tour in support of Talking Is Hard. Since then, they’ve topped charts and gone platinum. The once small little band from Cincinnati is now a certified mega hit-making group, well on their way to selling out stadiums.
Also since then, the U.S. saw a civil rights victory with the U.S. Supreme Court making gay marriage legal in all 50 states. The members of WTM are known for promoting love and tolerance, so the ruling had the band and fans feeling pretty darn good. Petricca shouted, “Yesterday was a really amazing day for our country and the whole world!” He followed it up with a heartfelt speech about loving and accepting one another, before asking that everyone partake in a victory march of sorts with “Different Colors.” The stage glowed a rainbow of lights, engulfing the band in colors. Petricca walked to the front of the stage, holding out his mic. Fans sang, “This is why we’re biting the bullet / We know the kids are right.”
During “I Can Lift a Car,” bubbles and balloons floated overhead, and Petricca climbed the barrier up front. While he sang, “She kissed me on my new futon / And I’m clumsy cause she finds me attractive,” fans reached out, helping hold him up. They also sang right along with him. Although, all night long it seemed as if everyone sang along to every song. Walk The Moon sure have garnered a dedicated fan base, comparable to that of Twenty One Pilots or Panic! At The Disco. Petricca said, “This is our fourth time playing Summerfest. I see some familiar faces!” He then asked who in the crowd was attending their first ever Walk The Moon show. As hands rose, he smiled and said, “Welcome to our tribe.” He asked that everyone turn to someone they didn’t know and give them a high-five, and the sound of hands clapping spread.
Although WTM has become known for 80s inspired dance-inducing pop, the guys hold roots in rock and roll. Petricca screamed, “You ready to rock out? You got a little rock and roll f**ker inside you?” The audience screamed right back at him. Then the band broke into the oldie “Lisa Baby.” Guitarist Eli Maiman riffed hard while Petricca and bass player Kevin Ray danced back to back.
Throughout the night, Petricca talked openly with the audience, giving advice and spreading all kinds of warm feelings, telling fans “You are never, ever alone. We are creating a safe place for you, where you can be yourself!” and later asking everyone to “calm your heart, your mind, your body.” He motioned for fans to “suck in all the bad and negativity” and then “push it all up to the sky till it’s gone.” Petricca laughed, “Now everyone is a little less afraid to look like dorks in front of one another!” That held true. People danced without a care in the world.
When Walk the Moon played the radio hit “Shut Up and Dance,” thousands of cell phones rose up, creating a bright stream of light and recording the moment. Although, it’s safe to say those videos were a blur, given all the dancing and jumping taking place. Afterward, the band left the stage, but the foursome was soon ushered back out thanks to chants of “one more song.” The guys came back out for the song that earned them national attention and a major label record deal, “Anna Sun,” and fueled even more dancing. It was an amazing night filled with love, positivity, and an epic amount of dancing!
WALK THE MOON will be touring throughout the summer and fall. They’ll also be playing Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits Festival. A complete list of tour dates is available on the WTM facebook page.
Photo by Sarah Hess
Sarah Hess
After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.
You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.
Latest posts by Sarah Hess (see all)
- The Wild Feathers Check One Off The Bucket List - July 31, 2017
- RY X Captivates Chicago - October 24, 2016
- Four New Bands at Day Three of Riot Fest - September 20, 2016
Pingback: The Knocks Announce Star-Studded ‘55’ Album & Tour