Popular indie band visits Central Valley with exclusive concert and meet-and-greet
Fans of the indie rockers Wallows were treated to a memorable experience Friday when the band made its Central Valley debut at Modesto station KHOP 95.1’s studio in Stockton.
Fronted by Dylan Minnette, the band played an acoustic set at the Wingstop Soundstage, bringing its sound to an excited audience.
Minnette is a former actor, known for his lead role as Clay Jensen in Netflix’s series “13 Reasons Why” and for playing Wes Hicks in the fifth installment of the “Scream” movie franchise.
The exclusive event was available to fans who won a contest held by KHOP on Instagram and Facebook. A little over 20 lucky fans were invited to attend the intimate afternoon show.
The event was part of a three-day California radio station tour. Wallows visited stations in Bakersfield, Sacramento, San Francisco in addition to KHOP. The band is set for a similar tour in North Carolina later this month.
Attendees were welcomed with a buffet provided by Wingstop and Boxed Water, the two event sponsors.
The atmosphere was electric as fans eagerly anticipated the performance and a chance to interact with the band.
During the hourlong session, fans got the chance to submit questions to Wallows. Several questions were randomly chosen and answered live by band members.
They talked about the songs they’re most proud of. Lead guitarist Braeden Lemasters answered “Pleaser,” the band’s first single, released in 2017. Minnette is most proud of the hit single “Are You Bored Yet?” which he called a “defining moment in (their) careers.”
Some of the audience’s burning questions included the band’s favorite toothpaste brand, to which Minnette replied the Italian toothpaste Marvis. Lemasters and Cole Preston, who plays the drums, use Crest.
After the Q+A, the three played an acoustic set. They started with “Canada” from their latest album, “Model,” which Minnette said had never been played live in full before. Fans listened as the musicians tuned their guitars and counted each other off.
“Are You Bored Yet?” was played next and, because the band encouraged the audience to join in, the song echoed throughout the room.
They ended their set with “Calling After Me,” a single from “Model.”
After the set, fans eagerly lined up out the door to meet the band. Every attendee got the chance to talk to the three and take a photo.
On their way out, fans received a signed poster commemorating the experience.
The band will kick off a world tour Aug. 6 in Oregon and then travel around North America before visiting Europe and the UK. They’ll end their run in New Zealand in December.
