Waterparks recently stopped by Orlando on their A Night Out On Earth Tour in support of their latest album, Greatest Hits. The occasion drew a massive crowd of Parxies (as their fans are lovingly called) to the House Of Blues located within Disney Springs. The boys who make up Waterparks – Awsten (vocals\guitar), Geoff (guitar), and Otto (drums) – are known for having a notoriously dedicated fanbase, so I wasn’t surprised to find a line wrapped around the venue long before doors were scheduled to open. Everyone was desperate to secure a coveted spot close to the stage.
When everyone was inside and it was finally time for the band to start, the excitement in the room was almost deafening as fans cheered and chanted for frontman, Awsten. A curtain blocked the view of the stage, making their entrance all the more dramatic as the drumming for the the album’s title track kicked in and everything remained dim except for occasional flashing lights. The stage setup finally came into view when the guys jumped into several high energy tracks in a row, including “Numb,” “Watch What Happens Next,” and “Fuzzy.” The stage itself was fuzzy as well since the backdrop was made to look like fluffy clouds that changed colors with the lighting, which was of course carefully chosen by Awsten Knight due to his synesthesia and associating sounds with colors. The lighting designer on tour with the crew did a fantastic job of executing this.
Things slowed down a bit for an acoustic break including the hilariously dark “I Miss Having Sex But At Least I Don’t Wanna Die Anymore” from 2019’s Fandom and “Lucky People” from 2018’s Entertainment. The energy picked right back up with the dancy track “Take Her To The Moon.” The band ultimately closed the set with “See You In The Future” from their latest effort.
As is per usual for any Waterparks show, Awsten took the time to engage in hilarious banter with the audience in between songs. He kept everyone laughing throughout the night as they played tracks from their genre-bending discography. One of the wonderful things about the group’s music is the juxtaposition of melancholy lyrics with uplifting melodies, sending a message that it’s okay to struggle with your mental health and still listen to happy music. Waterparks’ lyrics no doubt make listeners feel understood and this has created a very strong community within the Parxie fanbase. That sense of mutual support could be felt in the room, and it makes this band a perfect one to see live if you’re suffering from a massive concert hangover thanks to the pandemic. It’s not surprising that a majority of the tour sold out, so don’t sleep on getting your tickets next time they come to your city!
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All photos by Ali Brant Photography
