Waters
Barboza, Seattle, WA
02.10.15
A band with a murky history, WATERS was formed out of front man Van Pierszalowski’s desire to start anew. After releasing 2011’s Out in the Light, the San-Francisco-based configuration of WATERS is a whole different band. In support of 2014’s EP It All Might Be OK, the band has been touring heavily over the past several months, notably with Smallpools, Magic Man, and Tegan & Sara.
We caught them on a quick run up and down the West Coast, for their first time headlining in Seattle. In the bowels of Barboza, WATERS’ grungy, 90’s influenced, alt rock feels completely in place – despite the fact that the five-piece barely fit on the tiny stage – and they leave everything on the table. Pierszalowski owns the crowd with a fiercely inclusive energy, demanding – in the nicest way – that everyone come closer and sing along.
These songs live somewhere between angst-filled tragedy and pop-rock celebration, with an honesty that defies much of today’s mainstream. You can hear the workings of friend and Grouplove producer/drummer Ryan Rabin in the new songs’ hi-fi melodies. Matched with Pierszalowski’s simmering lyrics, catchy pop hooks, and grungy vocal delivery, WATERS is filling a bit of a void left by the overly saccharine alt rock invasion.
Pierszalowski delivered their older track “Mickey Mantle” solo and acoustic to a quietly appreciative crowd; but the real meat of the show is when he’s backed by the fantastic set up of Sara (Sonic) DaMert on keys, her brother Brian DaMert on guitar, Greg Sellin’s basslines, and Andrew Wales on drums. Having seen them live twice now, this band is one that warrants a bigger stage. Their presence and interaction is fantastic, familial, and outsize. Local Seattle dream pop openers Ephrata & Perfect Families were a nice addition to the night’s lineup.
WATERS is set to join Matt & Kim’s North American spring tour. Their new full length What’s Real is out April 7th and available for pre-order now.
Review by Stephanie Dore
Photos by Sunny Martini
Waters
Ephrata
