After years of releasing EPs and singles, Wilderado released their long awaited album, Wilderado, in
2021, and have been touring in support of the release ever since. They have gained a large fanbase from
opening for several acclaimed acts such as Mt. Joy, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and more. The first time I
had the absolute pleasure to see Wilderado live was in September of 2022, when they opened for Mt. Joy at Mission Ballroom following a sold-out show at Red Rocks. They gained a fair bit of acclaim after their 2017 EP Latigo, featuring one of their most popular songs, “Rubble to Rubble”.
Their more recent work has more of an indie lacquer with catchy hooks and a polished glamor not found
in their earlier work, while their earlier work has more of a charming and raw, folk-inspired appeal. Of course, most of their performance consisted of their recent releases, but a fair bit of their old material was sprinkled in.
Clearly, this band knows how to play a love show. They have an incredible stage presence, amazing
(although at some points, blinding) lighting, and they sound better live than they do in recordings. And they sound absolutely divine in their recordings.
A highlight of the evening was their performance of “Talking About Love To A Cigarette”. This song has a quiet, folk-afflicted demeanor, and that is where the charm lies. It is soft and gentle, yet eloquent and thought-out. Personally, it is one of my favorite Wilderado songs. Their lyricism really shows, and it is profound and intelligent, even though the wording they use is casual and normal. At this show, the band left the stage for this song and it was just one man and a guitar. This is how the song can best be enjoyed, I think.
Also wonderful was their performance of “Rubble to Rubble” . This is one of their most widely known songs, and the band quieted themselves to let the audience sing, which created a beautiful moment, where a group of strangers were connected in a tangible way through lyrics that they could all relate to.
Overall, this is one of the most enjoyable concerts I have been to in recent memory. It was raw and real in some parts, and polished and dance-y during others. The balance that Wilderado struck throughout their setlist is something that not many artists have, and that is truly something that most should aspire to.