Wallows and Deb Never performing at the Andrew J Brady Music Center on Feb. 12, 2025 Photo: Emily Widman

Wallows returned to the Greater Cincinnati area for their “Model and More Tour” Wednesday night to a nearly sold-out Andrew J Brady Music Center. The band had previously visited the area during their 2022 “Tell Me That It’s Over Tour,” performing just across the river at MegaCorp Pavilion in Newport. But this show was a step up in nearly every way.

Opener Deb Never, in a casual outfit consisting of a long sleeve graphic T-shirt and sweats, is a powerhouse of a performer. Standout songs “Not in Love” and “This Alive” are dreamy, vibey rock tunes that showcase Never’s clear vocals and guitar skills. The crowd, however, was called out several times by Never for their stoic nature. “Come on Cincinnati, let me see you move a bit!” Never playfully announced over the mic.

After Never exited the stage, a large black banner displaying “WALLOWS” in big white letters fell from the ceiling, completely covering the stage. Fans immediately began screaming, moving around to take their eventual Instagram pictures in front of the tapestry.

In what seemed like an eternity (but was actually half an hour), the tapestry finally dropped, only to reveal another white tapestry behind it. Accompanied by a smooth synth, the crowd fell silent, until the silhouette of singer Dylan Minnette illuminated the right side of the stage. “Do not wait, I’ll be there,” Minnette sings over a shiny guitar. Fellow Wallows band members Braeden Lemasters (on guitar) and Cole Preston (on drums) also appear silhouetted after a short time. The band performs the entirety of “Do Not Wait” behind the tapestry until it finally drops to the beat of their next song, “Your Apartment.”

Wallows has been a favorite in the indie rock/pop music scene since the release of their debut album, Nothing Happens, in 2019 to favorable reviews. Their follow-up, Tell Me That It’s Over, was released in 2022 with the band keeping their signature sound. Their latest album, Model, stays true to what they know — they’ve mastered their sound and they know it.

Compared to their 2022 tour, which had the band simply walking onstage with a neon square-shaped light being the main focus, the production value has increased dramatically. Every few songs, they’ve got a new background to accompany them. First, it was an enlarged photograph of their Model album cover: a grainy picture of a window and a dimly lit scene. That later dropped to reveal a series of small lights, flashing with each drum beat. Finally, the background concluded with a tapestry similar to the one at the beginning; a black tapestry with large white letters spelling out the band’s name, only this time it was outlined in bright neon.

Lemasters had fun speaking with the crowd, mentioning that he was born in the state and that “a lot of cool people are born in Ohio.” He then began to list off a series of famous celebrities born in the state, concluding with the question, “Where was Joe Burrow born?” After listening to the audience’s response, Lemasters states “Well, if he was here you can let us know.”

Performing a setlist of both new and old songs, including one from forthcoming EP titled More, it was hard to keep the audience from singing along to every word. At several points, Minnette pointed the microphone at the crowd, encouraging them to sing while the band played.

The band loved to interact with the crowd, often calling out “CINCINNATI!” during songs. “Is Cincy something people say?” Minnette asked, to which there were several very loud shouts of approval. Preston asked if there were any birthdays in the house, including what sign of the Zodiac it currently was. Lemasters even went up to the balcony during the song “Going Under,” where he greeted every fan with a high-five or handshake.

Appropriately ending with the song “I Don’t Want to Talk,” Minnette sings: “So could you tell me that it’s over, tell me that it’s over, tell me that it’s over now? Then I could shut this off” between bursts of a harmonica.

As many fans in the audience were familiar with how Wallows ends their shows, not a single person moved from their seats after the final song, bellowing “Encore! Encore!” The band returned to the stage for one final song. “Alright Cincinnati, ask and you shall receive,” Minnette quips before the band performs perhaps their most popular song, “Are You Bored Yet?” a certified fan favorite.

Wallows consistently put on spectacular performances, engaging their audience from start to finish and performing each song nearly perfectly. With a band like Wallows, it would be a great disservice to miss them the next time they come around.

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This article appears in Feb 5-18, 2025.

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