Review by Jennie Book
@jenniebookphotography

Tour photos by Brit O’Brien
@britobrien

Finn Wolfhard might be best known for his role in Stranger Things, but at The Independent on June 8, it was clear he’s not just dabbling in music, he’s living it. As part of the six-stop Objection! Tour in support of his new album Happy Birthday, Wolfhard brought a high-octane, genre-blurring set that excited a packed room of Gen Z/Gen Alpha fans, who likely already knew him from previous bands Calpurnia and The Aubreys, but who were more than ready to follow him on his newest eponymous project.

The night kicked off with a humorous animated short projected onstage, but the real show started when Wolfhard stepped out of the shadows into a wall of screams, said, “Thank you for coming,” which then turned into louder screams.

Backed by a four-piece band dressed like junior Angus Youngs, Wolfhard played a Gibson Flying V while he sang tracks like “Choose the Latter,” “trail,” and “No Offerings.” The set wasn’t long at 13 songs, but it was indie pop-tight, with bursts of jumps and yells that made it seem like Wolfhard was having to control his energy when what he really wanted to do was stage drive out of his own genre into something more high octane.

Halfway through through the show Wolfhard took a seat at the keyboards and played while his bandmate took over lead vocals. Then he acknowledged the elephant in the room and said, “So… I cut my hair,” referencing his fresh buzzcut, and everyone in the crowd went bonkers. But he and the band used the timing to segue right into another song, and continued to give the crowd what they came for: a little bit of celebrity, and a lot of music.

By the time the show closed, the fans were buzzing with excitement and would have been happy to stay for more. Overheard on the way out were a few people talking about following the band down the west coast for multiple tour stops. So even if they came for the TV star, they left with a real live music experience from a fun, accomplished band who look like they’re having a great time together on tour.

Check out Happy Birthday on all streaming platforms, and keep an eye on www.finnwolfhardmusic.com for tour info the next time they hit the road.