Walk Off the Earth

Last Thursday after Code Freeze, Eryn and I went to Walk Off the Earth at the Varsity Theater on their Gang of Rhythm Tour.  We were supposed to go with Mean Mr. Mustard, Klund, and Mrs. Klund.  Instead, Mean Mr. Mustard cancelled because his wife was sending him to California so she could have some quiet time.  And then, day of the gig, when my wife was supposed to drop Eryn off to meet me (I was already all the way up by the U of MN for the conference - having aforementioned burrito with the Ohio State hockey team at Chipotle), the Klundseses sent me a text message (or maybe it was an email - it was a technology blur) telling me that the weather was dubious and they were staying in the safe, warm bosom of St. Peter (something about family too - which I hope worked out for the better) and I should find alternate attendees.  On short notice, I just told Mrs. Scooter to park and we could all go as a family.

So, in the bitter cold (I'm glad we didn't have to wait in line outside the Varsity like Ming, Kyle, Leonard, and I did for the Suicide Girls), we traipsed across Dinkytown to see Walk Off the Earth and their two opening bands: Camera 2 and Parachute (Eryn really liked Parachute - she bought a CD).  It was a good concert.  Particularly as Klund had purchased tickets upstairs in the mezzanine.  We didn't get chairs, but we did get some standing room against the table running around the edge, so we had a mostly unobstructed view of the bands.  Except for a small pillar that required some leaning left and right to optimize the view.  The main floor was packed by the time WOtE went on - almost front to back.

Walk Off the Earth was great.  Excellent set.  Good job of engaging the audience without it feeling forced.  Good vibe.  Good fun.  Eryn (and I) had a great time.  And there were couches in the Mez for my wife to relax on and listen to the music, so she had a great time as well.  No standing-room-only for three hours.

Here are my kick-ass pictures...

From the opening acts.  The chandelier in the foreground took quite a beating when Walk Off the Earth cut loose large balloons for the audience to bounce around for thirty-plus minutes.  We were a little worried it was going to fall on someone's head.  Not because they'd get hurt.  But because they might stop the concert for a while if someone great a chandelier hat.  Eryn liked it when the lead singers from the opening acts crawled up on their amps.  She assured me she doesn't need an amp that big.


I've come to the conclusion my iPhone camera isn't optimal in all cases.


This is how far away we were.  It's not as far as it looks.  But that pillar was as big as it looks.  I think that's why the two folks who originally had the spot vacated and waved Eryn over to take their place.


But see...not so bad.  Walk Off the Earth doing their thing.  Not their five people on one guitar thing, but their thing.  They were much better than their opening acts.  A real treat to listen to and quiet the show.  Someone asked me to describe them (at work) and I said, sort of like Arcade Fire but without quite the level of pretentiousness.  My wife hates Arcade Fire and she liked Walk Off the Earth, so perhaps that's not fair.  They're not a flavor of Arcade Fire.  Much better.


Ditto (WOtE doing their thing). I'm disappointed I didn't catch a picture of the ukulele or Sarah Blackwood jamming out.


I believe Gang of Rhythm is Eryn's favorite song.