Today I got an opportunity that finally gave me the motivation to start this blog. I want to use this as a platform to talk about what is one of the most important aspects of my life: Music. Living in London gives me the chance to discover new artists and see many bands play just a couple of stops on the tube from where I live.
Tonight I got the brilliant opportunity to see WALK THE MOON play at KOKO in Camden. I did not really have any expectations going to the gig since it was a very spontaneous decision. Even though I had been listening to their music for quite some time I did not know much about the band itself or even what they look like.
First of all, the venue was incredible. I had never been to KOKO before but I had seen pictures from other concerts, which definitely did not do the venue justice. As a former theatre it has a completely different vibe to the venues that I had been to before. The red colour and golden ornaments make it a very special place to watch artists perform in, the best part of the décor being the giant disco ball that combines the old features of the building with modern music and disco culture.
After finding a decent spot to stand during the concert (which was very new to me because I usually go super early and get a spot at the front) we waited for WALK THE MOON to start their show. While they were coming onto the stage “The circle of life” from The Lion King was playing which I personally think was an absolutely amazing way to start the show.
The show itself was so energetic, it made everyone dance and jump around and I feel like everyone at KOKO just had a really fun time. My personal favourite songs by WALK THE MOON are “Sidekick”, “Different Colors” and “Avalanche” which they played in row, giving me the best 15 minutes of the night. Their live performance was impeccable and they interacted with the audience, which for me is one of the most important factors when going to gigs. All members of the band seemed genuinely excited to be there and remembered playing on that very same stage a few years ago, at an event where nobody was really listening to them. When they came back on for the encore Kevin, who plays the bass said that a few years back he thought if they could ever sell this place out they would be one of the greatest bands on earth. He seemed so grateful for all the support they got from the fans, especially considering the fact that Twenty One Pilots had a gig in London at the same time. Lead singer Nicholas Petricca welcomed us all into the “family” and at that moment it really felt like we were all one big family. He asked everyone to high-five a person next to them that they didn’t know before and the audience bonded for a little bit. He also thanked the audience for bringing their “physical bodies” to this “physical room” and thanked us all for being in this journey with them. They played songs not only from the newest record but also from the older ones, saving “Anna Sun” until the very end, playing it as the last song of their encore.
A very emotional moment of the show was when WALK THE MOON paid tribute to David Bowie, who passed away last month. Their version of “Let’s dance” was not only brilliant in itself but also a nice way to honour Bowie’s work.
All in all it was a great night. The music was amazing, but the bits in between, the moments of genuine human interaction made it perfect for me. I am very happy that I went. I can now cross “go to a WALK THE MOON show” off my bucket list.
(On a side note: Supporting act was Colony House, I had never heard of them before but they were really good. Checking them out is definitely worth it. “Waiting for My Time to Come” is a great song.)
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