Concert Review: Wallows gave Dallas a Night to Remember
By: Taarena Rathore
LA-based alternative-rock band Wallows made their way to Dallas on their Model World Tour giving fans a performance they will never forget.
Benee was the first to open the night. As soon as she stepped on stage her vibrant energy caught the crowd’s attention. Proudly wearing a Texas A&M shirt she joked around with the audience on how she didn’t know the team she had on. As she danced across the crowd she was sure to stop and pose for photos, and wave to fans. The crowd clapped and sang along as she ended her set with her biggest hit, "Supalonely," before getting ready for Wallows to take the stage.
Wallows stage entrance was an incredible production and was sure to build the suspense for the night. With a curtain in front of the musicians, lead singer Dylan Minnette’s silhouette was the only one to be seen. As they opened with the song “Do Not Wait,” the rest of the band began to appear. The projections heightened as they quickly transitioned into “Your Apartment,” and the curtain then fell revealing Wallows to the crowd.
The show was held at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas. At the beginning of their set, Minnette told the audience to cheer when he mentioned “Irving” and then “Dallas.” The response for Dallas was far louder in comparison, leading him to refer to the crowd as Dallas for the rest of the night.
During their sixth song, "Quarterback," Cole Preston, usually on the drums, swapped places with Dylan Minnette, showcasing the band’s versatility. Moments later the projection in the back changed to reveal the album cover of their 2024 release, “Model.” They played their song “Bad Dream” during this, and when they sang “Are you having a bad dream Dallas,” the crowd went wild.
Around midway through the set, fans would agree that this was the highlight of the night. During the song “She’s an Actress” Dylan Minnette stepped into the crowd. He moved around the pit, continuing to sing the song as fans followed him around. As a path was formed he made his way to the back of the pit with the rest of the band following. They set up a small stage within the seats, with lamps and chairs, where they played the next few songs. Once their smaller set was complete, bass guitarist Braeden Lemasters was first to exit, making his way into the pit. He walked around, singing to the fans in the stands before joining the rest on the main stage.
Once the band was back on the stage Minnette told the crowd that it was their “favorite show [they] played in Dallas by far,” and it’s “always good to be in Texas.” The set was nearing its end, and the back of the stage changed to say “WALLOWS” in big letters. Their next song was “Remember When,” and their star-like projections and lights danced to the beat of the song. As the instrumentals built up the night, Minnette took the time to tell the audience “Alright Dallas listen up. We only got a couple moments left together tonight…and I would make every one of these couple moments count…so I want to see everyone here go as crazy as they can.” Hands were up in the air, people were dancing, and these last few moments of the song were ones to remember.
When it was time for their encore the crowd took away most of the lyrics in “Are You Bored Yet?” The night ended with “Only Ecstacy.” and the band was sure to read the signs and interact with the fans before leaving the stage. Whether it was the lighting, the set design, the second stage, or the music itself, Wallows delivered a thrilling performance. Experiencing Wallows live on their Model Tour is absolutely worth your time.
View the full concert gallery by Taarena here.