An Alternative Indie Dream Come True: BENEE & Wallows

An alternative indie dream came true at Ascend Amphitheater with Wallows’s 2024 Model Tour opened by BENEE. Hailing from New Zealand, BENEE got the crowd moving for the night with songs like “Glitter” and “Soaked”, performing with upbeat energy and excitement to interact with fans in the crowd. After starting out by posting music covers on SoundCloud to releasing her own singles in 2017 to touring with Lily Allen in 2019, BENEE achieved viral fame via Tiktok for her song “Supalonely” which she closed her set with, and it sounded as though not a single person in the crowd didn’t know the lyrics. Following this success, she appeared on many talk shows, toured with Remi Wolf and Olivia Rodrigo, performed at major music festivals such as Coachella and Bonnaroo. She has since then released several EPs and singles, notably including her song “Green Honda”, which electrified the audience and got people from the front pit to the back lawn dancing. 

A coveted band in the alternative rock and indie scene amongst Gen Z, Wallows did not disappoint their crowd of devoted fans that filled the amphitheater. Jam-packed up to the barricade, fans excitedly queued up for Wallows to take the stage, many of which had signs and cutouts of band member’s faces. Opening with “Your Apartment” and “Anytime, Always”, the band led by Dylan Minnette had the audience wrapped around their finger from the moment the curtain dropped. Promoting their album Model released earlier this year, Wallows has been on their world tour since early August, making this their third full-length tour. Originating in Southern California, the young band gained notoriety with their first single “Pleaser” and their studio album Nothing Happens, featuring their hit song “Are You Bored Yet?” with Clairo. The band surprised the audience by moving to a smaller more intimate B-stage closer to the audience for three songs, including fan favorite “1980s Horror Film”. The band closed with “I Don’t Want to Talk” but not before returning with an encore including “Are You Bored Yet?” and “Only Friend”, with fan’s voices echoing throughout downtown Nashville. Despite being a town coveted for its country music popularity, the alternative indie scene is alive and well in Nashville, and they showed up and showed out for Wallows.

- Lillie Hollabaugh

Photos Courtesy of Lillie Hollabaugh (For Bell Music Magazine)