Back in May, Waterparks released their fourth studio album, Greatest Hits. Despite what the title suggests, Greatest Hits does not contain highlights from the band’s previous albums – it contains all new tracks that the guys worked on during the pandemic. With the world shutting down and tours being postponed or canceled during this time, it seemed as if these songs would never be celebrated in a live setting. However, after getting the go-ahead earlier this year to safely tour again, Waterparks announced that fans would get to hear these songs after all on what would be the unforgettable A Night Out On Earth tour.
The night began with phem and her unfiltered indie songs. Rocking her signature green hair and colorful makeup, phem played a variety of tracks with her band, including a moody cover of Wheatus’ “Teenage Dirtbag.” The crowd was very much into what they were hearing and eagerly raised their phones halfway through the set during “dead yet,” illuminating the venue with a beautiful sea of light. After such a dazzling display, phem debuted her playful new track “silly putty,” which ended up being a huge hit. Before we knew it, phem was signing off with fan favorite “flowers,” setting the crowd up nicely for Waterparks.
After trolling the crowd with a brief livestream while setting up for their set, Awsten took to the stage with Geoff and Otto to give everyone their “greatest hits.” The trio pulled from all four albums, playing songs such as “Fuzzy,” “Dream Boy,” “Blonde,” and “Take Her to the Moon.” It was such a vibrant scene, with the soft glow of light coming from the “cloud” backdrop towards the back of the stage and the streams of colorful light coming from the spotlights overhead. While the music was the main aspect of the concert, Awsten also made sure to provide the crowd with essentials like water and towels, always keeping their best interests in mind. He even took time out to acknowledge homemade signs, reply to various comments, and enliven the crowd with a few stories. Once the show was over, the band came out to play “Turbulent,” “Snow Globe,” and “See You In The Future,” ending this night out on Earth in style.
WATERPARKS
PHEM
Review + Photos by Christine Sloman | Exclusively for @Music,Why Not!