BRATTLEBORO — Celebrating the upcoming release of their fifth album “Wasteland Country,” viral indie sensation Moon Walker kicked off the second show of their international album tour on Friday, March 20, at The Stone Church.
The band, known for their viral songs on social media platforms and politically charged lyrics from a social justice perspective, is currently touring across the United States, and planning to conclude The Wasteland Country Tour across various European countries in November.
Supporting acts, which opened the show in Brattleboro included alternative indie-rock bands Sarah and the Safe Word, and Demi the Daredevil.
Harrison Springer, Moon Walker’s lead vocalist and guitarist, has toured before, but The Wasteland Country Tour is slated to be the band’s first venture abroad. According to Springer, the album and tour are unique expressions of his creative freedom.
“This is going to be the longest tour we have ever done, and a whole bunch of places I have never played before, which is really exciting. This new album kind of has a whole world to it, so it is really cool to be able to bring that on the road in a way that is different from just playing a normal show,” said Springer.
Moon Walker’s music is known for socially progressive themes that criticize social injustice and political corruption. Springer, who cited childhood inspirations such as Pink Floyd and Rage Against the Machine characterized his music as a translation of his frustrations and feelings into something that like-minded people can find relatable.
“I always liked music that felt like it was about something real. I’ve always written political songs, and when I started writing outside of the band, I gave myself a pass to just make the music I want to make, and know there will be a place for it,” said Springer. “Pretty quickly, it became clear that the only thing, at least right now, that I have to get off my chest is of the political nature. Like so many others, I was really bothered by what is going on, and I discovered that I feel a lot better when I can write a song about it and scream about it.”
Springer added, “I feel like the best pieces of art are commentating on the human condition in ways that make you think about things in new ways.”
Community member and fan Logan Wendel has been listening to Moon Walker for a while, and travelled across the state to attend the concert.
“I have been listening to Moon Walker for a couple of months, and was thrilled when I found out they would be playing in my hometown. I took a train all the way from Burlington to see them because they are currently one of my most listened-to bands,” said Wendel. “I’m a big fan of looking into the meaning behind the lyrics, and pretty much all of Moon Walker’s lyrics are commenting on how corrupt the system is, working for change, and identifying what the struggles of the people are.”
Wendel also enjoyed the two opening acts.
“I also loved the fact that the two opening bands were really good, and I am definitely going to be looking more into them,” he said.
Community member Jacob Friend had never heard of Moon Walker, but attended the show to meet friends of Demi the Daredevil. Friend enjoyed the concert, and said that it turned him into a fan.
“Everybody who played tonight seemed like really great acts, and even more than that, they seemed like very interesting people. I got to talk to some of them, and they all seem to have a general vibe that feels very aligned with the spirit of our town,” said Friend.
Robin Johnson, founder and general manager of The Stone Church said that acts like Moon Walker help to bring a younger generation out to see live music, and helps to diversify their catalog of roughly 130 annual shows.
“One thing we learned after the [COVID-19 pandemic] is that the experience of going out and enjoying live music together is irreplaceable. We want the younger generations to come out and have that experience, and that means finding acts that will get them in and cater to that demographic,” said Johnson.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.reformer.com ’
