Photos by Andy Argyrakis

The groundswell surrounding Walk The Moon’s gold-selling album “Talking Is Hard,” and most specifically, its chart-topping single “Shut Up And Dance,” was so relentless, it set a record for the most consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Rock Songs chart at the time. Three years later following major life changes (including members losing loved ones and tying the knot), the trend is swelling up all over again with “One Foot” from the follow-up “What If Nothing,” which rested firmly at the top slot when the Cincinnati-based band sold out the Aragon Ballroom.

For the last few minutes of “Anna Sun,” front man Nicholas Petricca found himself right in the center of the ecstatic audience, turning in another epic moment and assurance that Walk The Moon already had a dependable foundation before climbing this far up the fame ladder.

Surrounded by a panel of strobe lights and a set that came straight out of an EDM festival, Walk The Moon returned with the tour’s namesake and new collection’s lead track “Press Restart,” adding another contagious layer to its new wave-inflected alternative pop and rock. While more dedicated followers were already familiar, the participation volume only increased for “Portugal,” setting the tone for the group to jump between those two primary projects, alongside a handful from 2012’s self-titled splash and 2010’s indie debut “I Want! I Want!”

While “Kamikaze” and “Avalanche” kept the energy level at the max, “Aquaman” turned towards the slower side of a love song that could’ve easily graced a John Hughes soundtrack back in the ‘80s. Immediately after, “Surrender” exploded with Coldplay-like gang choruses, and based on all the arms in the air, is shaping up to be the Walk The Moon’s next infectious anthem.

Not everything matched the same intensity and a few lesser tracks got lost in the shuffle of sounding too similar to one another, but that definitely wasn’t the case with “Different Colors” or “Shut Up And Dance” (surprisingly placed a bit past the midpoint, which signaled dozens of more casual listeners to cut out early). However, those that stayed caught “One Foot” in all its stomping glory and a band jam through “Headphones” that even included an unexpected snippet of Led Zepplin’s “Kashmir.”

The guys built the encore around the aggressive “Up 2 U,” then brought it back towards the beginning of its relatively brief but consistently explosive career with “Anna Sun.” For the last few minutes, front man Nicholas Petricca found himself right in the center of the ecstatic audience, turning in another epic moment and assurance that Walk The Moon already had a dependable foundation before climbing this far up the fame ladder.

Click here for more Walk The Moon photos from the Aragon Ballroom.

For additional information on Walk The Moon, visit WalkTheMoonBand.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at the Aragon Ballroom include Gramatik (Feb. 2); Ganja White Night (Feb. 9); Gerardo Ortiz (Feb. 10); AWOLNATION (Feb. 14); Portugal. The Man (Feb. 16); Rebelution (Feb. 17); Excision (Feb. 22-23); Tyler, The Creator and Vince Staples (Mar. 2-3), G-EAZY (Mar. 9); Walk Off The Earth (Mar. 16) and Nightwish (Mar. 31), visit LiveNation.com.

Related Articles

Walk The Moon: “Press Restart” Tour at Aragon Ballroom Banner year continues for hip-hop/indie pop breakout Jon Bellion with ascent to Aragon Jon Bellion: “The Human Condition” Tour at United Center Twenty One Pilots’ unclassifiable excursion stocked with fun, bits of filler and underlying depth Jon Bellion: “The Human Condition Part III” Tour at Aragon Ballroom Round two of Lollapalooza: Radiohead builds the atmosphere, Future ascends, The Struts shine Ellie Goulding’s pop gold, the meteoric rise of Flume and Third Eye Blind’s rebirth wrap Lollapalooza Incubus right on point at “8,” plus huge hooks from Jimmy Eat World and an eclectic Judah & The Lion