Wheatus Travel In Time
Published
According to Wikipedia, Wheatus haven't done anything anybody has cared about since the the summer of 2000. Despite this there were murmurs of anticipation in the crowd as the band set up on stage. This may have something to do with the fact that the headline band also hasn't been around since the early 2000s.
Wheatus took to the stage with minimal fanfare, even loading in their own gear. It's a risky decision for a band playing such a big venue, but musicians confident in their music can go far further than a flashy light show. They then opened their set with a cover. Their version of 'A Little Respect' had appeared on their self-titled debut album and so didn't come out of nowhere and the crowd responded positively to the tight and professional rendition. They went on to plug through a short but enjoyable set of angsty pop tunes before drummer Leo Freire takes centre stage and reveals a pink Teenage Dirtbag T-shirt.
It was a cheesy move, but from a band about to play a cheesy song who knew exactly what the room wanted. As expected the song went down with mass singalongs which singer, Brendan Brown, encouraged without milking it dry.
To play to a crowd only waiting for your closing song can't be an easy experience, but the Wheatus team gave a solid performance, keeping the rest of the set fun and the crowd interested. A headline show of theirs would most likely tell a different story and, with performances as solid as this across the tour, should see many fresh faces deciding to check them out again after all these years.
