Wilderado, an indie folk band hailing from Tulsa, Okla., is set to light up The Windjammer on The Isle of Palms June 21 with a headline show that promises an unforgettable concert going experience.
Known for its lively performances, Wilderado uses lasers and pyrotechnics on stage to engage and energize its crowd.
Reflecting on the band’s commitment to creating a memorable night for their fans, frontman Max Rainer told the Charleston City Paper, “Our shows are crazy. And no one ever leaves single.”
Rainer formed Wilderado with Tyler Wimpee, a friend from college at Baylor University. They were both taking a fifth year to complete school and began writing songs together as a hobby. Not long after, Rainer (lead vocals, guitar), Wimpee (guitars, vocals) and Justin Kila (drums) spent a summer in Malibu, writing and teaming up with frequent Sufjan Stevens collaborator, James McAlister.
These early songs formed their first EP in 2016, which amassed 50 million streams, allowing them to tour for a year with prominent musical artists such as Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Judah & The Lion, Band of Horses and Lindsey Buckingham.
Since then, they’ve signed with Bright Antenna Records, who have represented other bands such as Catholic Comb, In the Valley Below and Middle-Class Rut. And in the past ten years of performing and creating, they’ve continuously evolved the Wilderado sound.
“We’ve been doing this for ten years — our lives have changed tremendously since we started,” Rainer said. “So the sound and the perspective are always evolving. We’re paying more attention than ever before. We’re being more intentional. None of us care if the songs blow up, we simply want to make something we’re proud of and can look back and understand it took huge amounts of effort to make what we made.”
Bringing new songs to the stage
The buzz surrounding the show at The Windjammer is fueled by the upcoming release of Wilderado’s next album, Talker. Rainer described this album as the band’s “favorite recordings to date.”
“It’s hard to explain a record, but I’ll say it’s a sound we’ve been trying to capture for years and finally have,” he said. “It’s uniform and honest. It sounds like home.”
Talker, Rainer said, touches on themes of embracing mistakes, being confessional and speaking one’s mind without fear.
“This idea that it’s OK to be wrong. Be confessional and comfortable speaking your mind. Allow yourself the space to not be sure.”
Though Wilderado is known to the fans of indie rock, they have garnered newfound attention from mainstream audiences for their recent cover of R.E.M.’s “Wall Of Death” for the new Twisters movie soundtrack.
“[We] got the track and slammed a vocal on it. Took about an hour! I feel like I tricked someone into letting me into the film and they forgot to check,” Rainer recalled, expressing pride and disbelief in being featured alongside stars like Luke Combs and Miranda Lambert. This collaboration showcases the band’s versatility and positions them among some of the biggest names in the industry, upping its status from indie rock stars to mainstream ones.
As they set out on the national tour that stops in Charleston next week, Rainer said the band has no plans to stop anytime soon.
“We’ve got big ideas — trying to figure out how to actually make some money, stay excited and grateful,” Rainer said.
Don’t miss the opportunity to watch this dynamic band perform on June 21 at the Windjammer, an evening promising explosive energy and heartfelt tunes.
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