Walk Off The Earth @ O2 ABC Glasgow
[This article was originally published in MNPR Magazine]
Walk Off The Earth (WOTE) are a mesmerising blend of musicality and showmanship – and more importantly their gigs will make you smile, and laugh and jump around with joy. MNPR Magazine was lucky enough to catch the gig they played recently towards the end of their UK tour at the O2 ABC Glasgow, and yet again WOTE delivered.
WOTE found fame in the modern way, on YouTube, providing unconventional covers using improvised instruments, and clever production on their videos. They broke through into popular consciousness with a cover of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know”… with all 5 members playing a single guitar at the same time. In the 6 years since then, they have used an ever changing array of wacky instruments – the harpejji is a technical standout, while the melodica and their trademark plastic tubes are just great fun.
Some of those tubes feature in their cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You”, which is what they opened with in Glasgow. The true success of WOTE is that they translate their heartwarming videos into great live renditions.
They also successfully made the jump into producing their own material, with their first album having been released in 2013, and some of their more recent tracks were on full display at this show. “Nomad”, “Hold On”, “Taekwondo”, “Homeward” and a new tune “5th Avenue” all went down a treat, with suitable levels of theatrics and cameos from not only Beard Guy, but also the world’s most versatile roadie-sort-of. I won’t spoil it, you’ll have to see the show!
No WOTE show would be complete without the 5 of them hopping onto a single guitar for “Somebody I Used To Know”, but here they bundled it into a seamless medley with “I Got Sunshine” / “My Girl” / “Twist and Shout” / “Royals” / “All Time Low”. It was entrancing.
Walk Off The Earth were sublime from start to finish, in a show that was packed with energy and the little quirky heartwarming tricks and stage ploys that make them such a pleasure to experience. You can’t beat them, but you’ll have a great time if you join them.
