REVIEW: Better Than Ever with The Wrecks
By Kristen Pittman
Photograph by Mateo De Los Cobos
I have seen The Wrecks in concert twice, and I can confidently say with my whole chest that there will be a third… and a fourth. Maybe a fifth, if they keep doing what they are doing. I mean it when I say that I seriously contemplated driving straight to Charleston after their Charlotte show just so I could repeat what had just happened.
Mateo, one of Euphonic’s photographers, and I walked up to The Underground an hour before doors where a line had already formed in anticipation for this event. VIP pass holders anticipating their meet and greet with the band and eager concert-goers had queued in an attempt to get as close to the band as they could. In a venue like the Underground it’s not that difficult to accomplish, but it is that closeness and personal moments captured with the band that made waiting in the hot North Carolina sun worth it.
Fast forward to the show. I was on the floor alone as Mateo went to do his work and while I’ve been to plenty of shows alone, this was the one I chose to really indulge in and not use a camera of any sort. As a concert photographer myself, I always have at least a small point-and-shoot with me. But alas, I told myself no and I’m so glad I did. I’ve never been in an atmosphere quite like what The Wrecks created. Not to mention, if I had brought any camera into that pit it would’ve been crushed in an instance with how much dancing and jumping they initiate.
The Wrecks started strong in their set with hits like “Out of Style” and “Feels So Nice” as well as a newer song off their latest album Sonder, “I Love This Part” which displays vocals from Nick Anderson that can seriously blow the roof off the building. Anderson’s vocals were something that set this band apart from any other artist I’ve seen live since I first saw them in November 2021 open for The Driver Era. I was compelled and completely enthralled by the smoothness of his voice and how effortless he made singing look. Even after expressing the band’s exhaustion from constant shows and his own sore throat, Anderson gave nothing less than an incredible performance.
Photograph by Mateo De Los Cobos
It is without a doubt that The Wrecks enjoy performing. On stage, they are constantly moving, dancing, and interacting with the crowd as well as each other. That’s something so fun and exciting for viewers of these shows, is to see the band have fun with each other instead of just putting on yet another performance for ticket-buyers. They have this fun little feature of theirs that, if you don’t know the song, you do by the last chorus and you're dancing your ass off to it.
That is what I found myself doing, granted I did already know the songs. I got closer to strangers than I’ve ever been before when Anderson stood on the barricade platforms and everyone rushed to grab his hand. There was no such thing as a personal bubble in that crowd, but no one seemed to mind. As the band encouraged the dancing and jumping, every one felt comfortable to do so as they pleased.
When it was time to slow down the pace, the band members exited the stage which left Anderson alone with only a mic stand and his guitar. During this segment of the show, Anderson played an acoustic rendition of “Ugly Side” and “Normal” off of the new album. He did make note that this segment did not usually last as long as it did this night in Charlotte, as he was having some difficulty getting through it emotionally. Anderson has previously mentioned before that when he writes songs, he writes from personal experiences. He shared some of that personal experience with the crowd before playing “Normal” to make sure everyone in the crowd knew that if they were feeling the same way that he has, that they were not alone. The fans' connection to the lyrics were unveiled when they sang every word and at times, sang it for Anderson who had to take a breath and take in the moment. He mentioned that he put the song 10th on the album because he didn’t think he would get this type of response to it. This 15-minute run in the show was a time that everyone really connected and appreciated what the band has done for them, and in turn, what the fans had done for the band.
Enough sappy stuff. Then Billy, Aaron, Schmidt, and Mothé came back on stage and rocked out for the rest of the set! There wasn’t a break as they performed hit after hit. Girlhouse also made an appearance to sing their collaboration with The Wrecks, “Where Are You Now?”
Closing out the night with their very first single, “Favorite Liar” had everyone who was not already exhausted, leave The Underground that way. Anderson made his way over the rail and into the crowd to finish out the night where he was met with fans singing with him and holding up their phones to document the interaction. Those already a fan of the band, left with adrenaline rushes to last the rest of the night. Friends of those fans who just tagged along probably looked up their Spotify and Instagram accounts on the car ride home the same way I did back in November.
The Wrecks know how to put on a good show and missing out on it would be a tragedy. The Better Than Ever Tour is over now, but they have just announced a Part Two coming this Fall! If you can catch one, I highly recommend it. Once – a band I had never heard of in the slightest, now – one that I can’t stop listening to.
Check out our full gallery of The Wrecks here: GALLERY: The Wrecks
Photo via The Wrecks
