Wet Performs at the Varsity on the Heels of Their New Album

I’ll just put it in writing right off the bat. I’m a sucker for mopey music. If you were to look at my Spotify stream history, or analyze the data off Last.fm (R.I.P? Is it still alive? I think I got an email about them updating their privacy policy, oh you too?) You’ll see a vast majority of my music listening time is spent listening to what people have deemed S A D B O I music. My top streamed track of 2017 was “Fall Away” by Lund. I think this gives you a pretty good idea of where my music tastes lie.

Wet fall into this same category, their dreamy, ethereal music is absolutely beautiful to listen to. However, when you listen to the lyrics it is almost entirely about the heartache of drifting apart from a lover, the inevitable break up or the biting realization that two people might not be meant for each other. It’s the music of a nostalgic haze, reminiscing about the good while realizing the journey is very much over.

Wet is on tour in support of their upcoming album which comes out on July 13^th. I believe it’s called Still Running. (I had a little trouble hearing the lead singer Kelly Zutrau speak during intermissions, a little more on that later.) Wet has stripped down their party to a duo, ousting guitarist Marty Sulkow, while retaining Joe Valle on production and bringing in producers to redefine their sound. This is most likely due to their debut album Don’t You being released to somewhat mixed reviews, praising the sound, but really criticizing the lack of musical variety contained within.

Their new album is going to be different. From the three singles out already, you can tell that their sound and the individual songs sound radically different, but without ditching that signature big, floating production. Just compare “Weak” from their debut LP and their new single “There’s a Reason.” It’s a distinct difference, but you can still hear the signature sound.

When I walked into the Varsity, I was without something that’s always in my possession when I’m in a venue. A camera. It was my first rodeo strictly writing, and it still feels weird, but being there solely to listen to the music is something I haven’t experienced in a very long time. When we walked in, Inc. No World was about to take the stage. They opened with “the place” a song which rose to fame with its inclusion in the Grand Theft Auto V soundtrack. The rest of their set kept the same chill vibe that stayed with the low-key theme of the night.

Right before the Wet took the stage, the crowd that started chanting “Wet! Wet! Wet! Wet! Wet!” and yeah, you bet I burst out laughing, I ain’t above it. When Wet took the stage, the crowd pressed against the barricade shrieked, and that is not an exaggeration. It was total super-fans up front, and off to the right side of the stage, a group of fans so super, I’d call them hecklers. They screamed their love of the duo during every intermission, and every song, even if the sound was a stripped-down production that was meant to be experienced in a quiet venue. Zutrau even commented, “this is the most lively crowd we’ve had all tour” which could very feasibly not be an empty platitude, this isn’t the kind of music you have an epileptic seizure to, but these fans belonged at the Flux Pavilion concert I was at last weekend, not at a concert that is a more nuanced experience like Wet. Please, be aware of who you’re seeing, and at the very least don’t get lit up for a low-key dream pop concert. [Rant over.]

Wet’s set was a mix of their new and old work, ranging from their breakout beginning hits, to completely unreleased tracks from their upcoming album. The production was very simple. There was no special lighting, just the house lights providing the backing. That was a distinct difference from their show at the Triple Rock (RIP) two years ago, which featured a very cool LED lighting set up. I was sorely missing that atmosphere during this show, it was one of the more interesting, yet simple setups I’ve seen. However, the performance mirrored their time at the Triple Rock except with the addition of a touring band. They’re a music first performance, movements were minimal, and there weren’t any leaps or hype ups, but the music also does not lend itself to that type of atmosphere at all. There was a sing-along during “Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl” though. For me it wasn’t super great, everyone couldn’t stay on tempo as the song doesn’t have much for a driving beat to keep everyone on cue.

Wet also focused a lot on their new work, including all their new singles and a few unreleased songs known as “11 Hours” and “This Woman Loves You,” the latter of which was particularly interesting. It almost had a sort of country vibe to it with its twangy guitar. Maybe I misheard, but it was a pretty big departure from what I was used to with this group. Other songs that made an appearance were “Deadwater” which was used as the opener, “It’s All in Vain” the opening track off Don’t You, and a very striking and emotional rendition of “These Days.” Again, it would have been better without those folks on the right side whooping during it.

The set ended with a brief encore that featured “You’re The Best” as the finale. The right side of the crowd let out one last annoying shriek, and you could see the annoyance on the band members faces by this point. Overall, Wet played the set I expected them to, and musically it was a great performance. Kelly Zutrau’s vocals have a way of evoking emotion, especially when isolated in songs with less production. Unfortunately, the atmosphere was a little bit ruined by a few rowdy fans, but hey, that’s live music. I’m excited to see the new direction of Wet later this summer. I’m always down for a little more S A D B O I music.