Wavves is back on the touring circuit this summer, both celebrating their past work and looking ahead to the future of the band. The group drew an impressive audience into Crescent Ballroom last week for a show that encouraged plenty of moshing and rowdy behavior in a room unused to this particular flavor of chaos.
Opening the show was Southern California noisemakers Beach Goons. Already a Phoenix favorite, the first notes of their set turned the room into a roiling mass of humanity as fans threw themselves off the stage into the swirling pit below. From “Reservoir Dogs” to “Vatos Tristes” to their closing cover of “La Bamba”, Beach Goons know exactly which buttons to push to rile up their audiences. The room was sweaty and tired by the end of their short set, ready to take on the night’s headliner.
Wavves bathed the ballroom in saturated colors, almost shrouding themselves in alternating red, blue and green light as they wasted no time in whipping the audience into a frenzy. Like Beach Goons before them, Wavves encouraged plenty of movement and the fans were more than happy to oblige on “Idiot”, “King of the Beach” and more. Also hailing from Southern California, Wavves’ signature sound was a staple in the mid-2000s and it’s clear that the formerly beleaguered band is thrilled to be back onstage for this run.
No strangers to Crescent Ballroom, Wavves treated the packed house to 16 songs of pure good vibes and more than a little upheaval as the fans continued to run their circles to “Post Acid” and “No Shade”. The nostalgia of their set propelled the performance but it’s the look to the future that really hyped up both the band and their crowd- the next tour will certainly be even more exciting as Wavves continues their journey onward.
