Waterparks is a band that plays with genres so much that it's nearly impossible to put them in a box. Whenever asked about the genre their band fits under they tend to be just as confused as the rest of us. That is because Waterparks can't be put into a category, they are a cacophony of sounds that transcends genre. Their most recent album, Intellectual Property is the best example of this. The raw creativity and heaviness that we are treated to on the album are perfectly adapted to the stage as Waterparks destroys a sold-out Baltimore, Maryland show.
The show opens with an artist I have never heard of before but will certainly be in heavy rotation, Elliot Lee. Similar to Waterparks, their sound is powerful, mixing so many different elements it is extremely hard to put them into a category. The best I could describe them as is hyper pop but I truly believe this doesn't cover it. I found myself bouncing along to songs I'd never heard and falling in love with each track. Following Elliot's high energy was a band I had heard of but never listened to outside of their song, Televised. HUNNY, This 80’s inspired, pop rock outfit set the stage on fire. Giving massive amounts of energy and talent with each track and blowing through them with quickness.
Opener Elliot Lee
Once Waterparks took the stage it was truly pandemonium. The crowd pushed and shoved toward the barricade and as the first few words to ST*RFUCKER left Awsten Knight's lips the room truly exploded. Crowd surfers were coming from left and right, mosh pits formed in three separate places, and I started crying. It was heaven. Each track they played sent me into the stratosphere. The setlist was perfect it was a masterful mix of old and new that made my heart jump out of my chest. Geoff singing again (finally) was a major treat and we even got a short Ottoparks show.
Midway through the show a pit opened up and some fans decided to bust out the ultimate mosh pit game, twister. This was short-lived but still a testament to the incredible vibe that was in that room. Awsten even makes a nod to the game by making a lyric change in the song Lucky People. The band continued their crazy energy somehow for their entire set and the encore and by the end of it I was drenched in sweat.
Photo Creds: @lupinsfilms on Twitter
If there's one thing I know, it's that Baltimore concertgoers take care of each other. I’ve been to many concerts in my life. I’ve seen many people get hurt in a mosh pit or get dropped while crowd-surfing. But a stark difference between those shows and this one is clear. Not a single toxic bone in any of them. I watched as crowd surfers were safely delivered to the barricade and moshers stopped everything they did to assist someone. I even saw crowds split like the red sea when someone who was injured needed to leave. That is something I’ve never seen before at a show. All moshers are nice, don't get me wrong, but in Baltimore, there was a sort of communication between them that was so respectful. It truly solidified why the band continues to come to Maryland time and time again.
I’ve seen Waterparks three times now and Baltimore is by far the craziest show I’ve been to. The energy was high from beginning to end. I was screaming, I cried at one point, and I almost threw up and yet it was one of the best nights of my life.
Written By Kaiana Lee
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