Eclectic alternative people of varying ages could be found littered around Seattle Center on June 14th, all of whom were clearly residents of “Wasteland Country”, courtesy of Brooklyn-based band Moon Walker. Harry Springer, better known as the face and front man of the project Moon Walker, is known for weaponizing the short-form algorithm in his favor to promote his dystopian, politically charged indie rock. In an era where social media has a chokehold on the music industry, many artists are forced to become influencers in order to promote their art; Moon Walker, however, has been able to use this formula to push his artistic message of anti-capitalism and general political nihilism.

Arriving at notorious all-ages venue The Vera Project early was clearly the strategy, as the merch line spanned across the entire venue, right as doors opened. From New Order to Militaire Gun, band shirts could be seen all over the main ballroom on older crowd members, presumably those who hear older glam and psychedelic influences in the bands’ sound. While functioning primarily as an indie/rock group, Moon Walker has been cited as having influences all over the map, including blues, glam, garage, and psychedelic rock.

Initial opening band Super Cassette gave the crowd a queer Californian pop-punk summer, as they chanted original songs about drugs, satan, and gender to a crowd hungry for whimsy. While still maintaining a core pop sound, the band could diversely channel Pansy Division-style pop-punk one minute and The Strokes-style indie melancholia the next. Chicago-based band Pretoria followed shortly after, making what can only be described as 2000s Disney Channel montage music, with a bit of subtextual jazzy surfy-ness.

After a quick coffee break at The Vera Projects' in-house cafe, it was time to be consumed by the bleak bright yellow world of Moon Walker’s fifth album, WASTELAND COUNTRY. Aesthetic consistency was on full display as the band arrived in matching jumpsuits, à la Devo. It was clear that the “Wasteland Country” concept ran far deeper than just the album, as the backtrack serenaded the crowd with a haunting orchestral melody before robotically announcing “Each day begins with a happy face”. The band quickly jumped into hits off the album such as “HAPPY FACE”, “SUPERNATIONALIST”, and “EVERYBODY GOES TO HEAVEN”. The tracks took

on a far darker and more blues-inspired tone when performed live as the raw guitar melted seamlessly with the deep, hollow bass notes.

Other tracks from the project's past, like “Regular People” and “Ban This Song,” were resurrected, alongside covers of Nirvana's “Heart Shaped Box” and Black Sabbath's “War Pigs”. The covers were, of course, given an apocalyptic sci-fi brutalist spin to fit the show's message. The band's presence left little to be desired as they maintained a rockstar-like swagger with a throughline of chaotic insurgence

Moon Walker is a project that is incredibly sure of itself; between the social media marketing and the visual direction of the latest releases, Springer knows he’s going places. These days it's sacrilege not to be self-deprecating and overtly humble, so this project feels like a breath of fresh air. It will be interesting to see what other stories the band has to tell us in the coming years through their albums and tours.

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