The Wanted Concert Review

By: News Editor Nina Krishnan

The vibrant energy in the Warfield Theatre was nearly palpable on Monday, April 28th as an excited crowd waited in anticipation for The Wanted Word of Mouth Tour 2014 to start. The venue was near capacity and the crowd was overwhelmingly dominated by excited teenage girls. As the lights dimmed, opener Cassio Monroe, an up and coming boy band successfully set the tone for the night and nearly stole the show with their performance of their single “Shake It.” The thumping, energizing beats coupled with the palpable excitement in the venue set the perfect vibe for the second opener, Midnight Red. Midnight Red pumped up the crowd with their hit singles “Hell Yeah” and “Take Me Home.”

There was a slight dip in the energy as fans eagerly awaited the main act. But nothing could compare to the roar that erupted in the crowd as hundreds of teenage girls screamed in unison as Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness, Tom Parker and Nathan Sykes strolled on stage with their signature swagger. Their calm and casual demeanor slowly peeled back as they unveiled the boyish humor and vibrant energy that had catapulted them to fame in the first place. Tom welcomed the fans to the show saying, “San Francisco! Welcome to the Word of Mouth tour! Tonight is all about reminiscing the last four years. Tonight is dedicated to every single one of you in the room.” Each of the members of The Wanted are from distinctive ethnic backgrounds and each has a unique onstage personality. This variety was apparent as each of the members stepped into his onstage “persona”. Max George was the dancer of the troupe, commanding the crowd with his disco moves. Their distinctive vocals intermixed with their unique onstage personas made for a vibrant show.

Standout member Max George commanded the crowd’s attention with his distinctive vocals, particularly during the heartfelt chorus of “Heartbreak Story,” a song he had written. There were brief moments when the chemistry between the boys was somewhat lackluster but as they transitioned from their rockier tunes to pulsing disco hits like “Walk Like Rihanna,” the general energy level of the crowd increased considerably.

The Word of Mouth Tour is a bittersweet one because it marks the band’s farewell from the stage. The concert was above all else a walk down memory lane as the band intermingled their performances with two five-minute video montages of behind-the-scenes footage, personal videos, and career highlights. They ended the concert on a high note with the unofficial 2011 summer anthem, “Glad You Came.” And yes, I was glad I came.

Rating: B

Photo: www.mirror.co.uk