Waterparks Get Wild (w/ HUNNY, Elliot Lee) at Irving Plaza in NYC [Photos]

Houston rock band Waterparks brought their “INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY” tour to NYC’s Irving Plaza on Tuesday evening in support of their latest album of the same name.

Fans flooded the venue as soon as doors opened. In fact, NYC was the first show of the tour to sell out and it was visible from the moment I entered that “Parxies” as Waterparks lovingly calls their fans were ready for a night with the band.

The first opener of the night was Brooklyn-based artist Elliot Lee who warmed up the crowd with their dark pop tracks “Mess Boy,” “Sicko,” and “Drama Queen,” followed by “Fun,” “Easy to Be You,” and “Pink (Freak).” 

California alt-rock band HUNNY warmed up the crowd next with “Natalie,” “Halloween,” and “Lula, I’m Not Mad” from their 2019 album Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes., before launching into “JFK,” “Good Will Hunting Song,” and “Loser,” as well as the new single “action –> reaction.”  

Waterparks is vocalist and front-man Awsten Knight, backing vocalist and guitarist Geoff Wigington, and drummer Otto Wood. Formed in 2011, the long-time friends played an hour-and-a-half show spanning their massive discography of four EPs and five LPs.

Backed by giant LED screens, Geoff and Otto took the stage as Awsten entered separately, wearing a giant winter jacket. Known for their upbeat pop-punk tracks, Waterparks opened with “ST*RFUCKER” from INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY and “Numb” from 2021’s Greatest Hits. A large portion of the set was from INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, with the band playing 9 of the 11 songs, including “BRAINWASHED,” “2 BEST FRIENDS,” AND “FUCK ABOUT IT.”

The band jumped around with the early track “Crave” from 2016’s Cluster EP, followed by “Stupid For You” and “Royal” from 2016’s Double Dare. The night continued with “War Crimes,” “Telephone,” and “I Miss Having Sex but at Least I Don’t Wanna Die Anymore” from 2019’s FANDOM. 

Taking the time to slow down and interact with the crowd, Waterparks played three acoustic songs toward the end of the set, with “Gloom Boys,” “Not Warriors,” and “I Felt Younger When We Met” before closing out with “CLOSER” and “A NIGHT OUT ON EARTH” from INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY and an encore of “REAL SUPER DARK,” “Turbulent,” and “FUNERAL GREY.”

Waterparks (w/ HUNNY and Elliot Lee) @ Irving Plaza (NYC) on May 23, 2023

37 photos