Live music review: Wavves played to raucous Mohawk crowd in Austin
On a warm and muggy Saturday night in Austin, San Diego-based, surf-punks, Wavves, headlined a showcase for a packed, raucous Mohawk crowd on July 19 in the Red River Cultural District. Three bands were on the bill for the night, all hailing from California, and each delivered their respective takes on Golden State indie post-punk. Beach Goons and Chokecherry opened the show.
Chokecherry opened the show promptly at 9 p.m., setting the stage for the evening’s highly-amplified performances. The San Francisco trio, consisting of Izzie A. Clark (vocals, guitar), E. Scarlett Levinson (vocals, bass), and Abri Crocitto (drums), played a seven-song set that established a rousing and dynamic atmosphere for the night.
Beach Goons has come a long way since their beginnings in the Logan Heights neighborhood of San Diego, doing backyard shows in their teens. The trio, consisting of founding frontman Pablo Cervantez, bassist David Orozco, and drummer Chris Moran, continued with the fast-paced, energetic, punk melodics that resonated through the Red River Cultural District that Saturday evening. Beach Goons ended with a delightfully memorable cover of Richie Valens hit “La Bamba.”
Stage diving, crowd surfing, and mosh pits ensued and increased exponentially throughout the night’s performances.
Headliner Wavves, made up of Nathan Williams ( lead vocals, guitar), Stephen ‘Stevie’ Pope (bass guitar, backing vocals), Alex Gates (guitar, backing vocals), Ross Traver (drums, backing vocals), wasted no time with stage banter. As they stepped onto the stage, Williams simply said to the sold-out crowd, “Hello Austin. We’re Wavves,” before diving right into the opening number, “Way Too Much.”
Williams referred to the group’s previous Mohawk performance, at which he backflipped from the upper-deck rail, into the crowd, and finished the set, before using the mic stand as a crutch as he exited the stage. “I had back surgery since then, so I won’t be doing that again.” Williams remarked.
Wavves played a 17-song set list consisting of new songs and classic tunes dating back to their debut album. The band brought the eruptive energy that is to be expected from a Wavves show. For longtime fans, the performance provided a nostalgia-laced opportunity to witness Wavves’ creative progress as performers, witnessing the SoCal four-piece blend their recognizable classics with new material. For show-goers who were unfamiliar with the band’s live performance, it was an exemplary, experiential representation of the band’s highly-infectious, live performance energy.
If ever you have a chance to see a Wavves show, don’t sleep on the opportunity. Wavves have four remaining dates on their current tour including San Diego and Los Angeles this weekend
All photos by Troy Gonzales
Wavves Setlist:
Way Too Much
Idiot
King of the Beach
Turantula
Goner
So Long
So Bored
Post Acid
Busy Sleeping
Demon to Lean On
Sail to the Sun
Spun
My Head Hurt
Nine Is God
Shade
Green Eyes
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