Review: Oh Wonder Makes Pleasant History with First Seattle Show

Oh Wonder‘s concert moved from the Crocodile to the Neptune Theater due to such high demand, and still managed to sell out. The band, which started their tour after their album release in September, has been playing at sold-out venues left and right. The soothing melodies of their self-titled debut have resonated with audiences all around the world. After seeing them live, I can see why exactly; not only is their sound tranquil, the two have a chemistry on stage that is translated well.

Josephine is constantly smiling at fans after each track, and her soft voice makes every work spoken beautiful. Anthony holds his post between the guitar and piano while looking at Josephine for that connection they share.  The band started around 9:30 after GEM had opened for them.

“Livewire” was the first song on the setlist, a fan favorite, starting the show on a high note. The audience was very submerged right away, singing along and swaying back and forth. They went on to “Dazzle,” “Shark” and “Lose it,” before adding a story for “All We Do.” “We wrote the next one on NYE and this song has a special place in our hearts,” She said. Then the band went on to “Body Gold,” the first tune they wrote, thinking that it could be turned into something good.

Anthony added, “We started writing songs in our bedroom and somehow we made it to America!” It’s clear the band is still in awe of their sudden career success. After that came “Landslide,” and the fans became more and more intrigued and enjoying the show. Before their last song “Techicolor Beat,” Anthony took a moment to share that so many of their favorite bands are from Seattle and to get to play in the city is such a joy. He told the crowd about his love of the local scene around here. “Death Cab is our favorite band! Have they played at this venue before?”

It was a great first show to see in Seattle, and and I left interested where the journey will take them.  It’s such a joy to see a band enjoying their live so much and cherishing these first concerts. Make sure to catch them at Sasquatch! this May! You can read our interview with the duo here.