Vancouver gigs: Walk Off The Earth at Fusion Fest

Herself has a huge music/teenage crush on Walk Off The Earth and in particular the charasmatic Gianni. Despite technically being the second best looking in the band, I have to agree that he does have a certain charm! When we came to Canada 'See Walk Off The Earth' was on our list of things that were improbable but nice to pretend we'd actually do. After a few days of not simply just looking up their tour dates, I took it on myself to check the dates and whadyaknow, they were playing the very next weekend for free at the Surrey Fusion Fest.

Surrey seems like a terrible place from what I've seen of it on the news (gangland shootings, robberies etc) but the festival was just on the outer edge of the district in a huge outdoor park. We got there after work, poked around the international food stalls and then wandered up to the stage to see Walk Off The Earth. It was fairly easy, like.

The band pretty much bounced on stage and never stopped moving the entire time. Sprinkling in original songs with their own unique cover versions (okay, usually reggae/ska-tinged cover versions) WOTE throw guitars around the stage, change between instruments at will and even get their crew invovled at various points of the gig with drum interludes and backing vocals.

The band are making the most of their rising popularity and are, wait for it, are a touring band that are actually having fun. Be it cheesy choreographed stage moves, sign-prompted audience participation or ukelele prizes (for real), they try to get everyone in the party mood. Including, in a very direct way, myself and herself. Mid-song, Gianni gets off stage and heads in our direction to dance with us. I get into a strange   hug/bounce/singalong with him (I'm not the most gifted dancer in the world and being at the centre of attention isn't a natural place for me) and herself screams herself silly before dancing with him as he dances past. Life made.

I don't go to many non SCENE gigs these days but I'd recommend these guys to anyone. Check 'em before they get MEGA famous as opposed to regular famous - Walk Off The Earth