Us For Once Magazine / Issue 6, June 2024 (Sneaking Out Of Heaven Tour)

US FOR ONCE MAGAZINE PRESENTS...

THE SNEAKING SNEAKING THE OUT OF OF HEAVEN HEAVEN OUT TOUR ISSUE ISSUE TOUR The evolution of Waterparks as told through eight cross-country dates

JUNE 2024

Hey... me again. I know, long time no see. It's been what, five years since Us For Once put out an issue? If you're reading this, hopefully you haven't forgotten about your old pal Lexy from UFO. Or maybe you were totally thinking, "Wow, she fell off. W hat is she even up to now?" Truth be told, you could say I fell off. But at the same time,we all lived through a global pandemic, grew up, and (hopefully!) accomplished a lot since 2019. I finished college, traveled to places I've always wanted to go, lost some friends and made new ones, suffered and thrived and everything in between. Everything is different now, but one thing has remained a constant in my life. Music.

The music I love has gotten me through everything. And some things never change. For example, I'm following my fifth Waterparks tour since 2018, when UFO put out the Entertainment Tour issue.

Something about the music just keeps me coming back, and every time I see those boys put on a show I want to shout how incredible they are from the rooftops. Or an online magazine slash blog.

So, here we are again, over five years and five tours later. Let's talk Waterparks. As I near my 50th show with them, I can confidently say they are ever evolving and pushing boundaries as artists, forever delivering a brand new, top-notch experience for their fans. A little experimental, a little quirky, and a whole lot of impressive. Join me as I look back on my eight dates of the US Sneaking Out Of Heaven tour, And rediscover the magic of Waterparks, music journalism, and what it's like to be a fan of something great. I've missed this- let's go.

Lexy Bouras, Editor

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 AUTHOR'S NOTE 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 TOUR PLAYLIST 4 6 7 "COME ON UP!" 9 OPENER DIARIES 15 19 20 PROPERTY TOUR REVIEW

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ALBUM REVIEW

EXPLORING MEET & GREET CULTURE

CONCERT PHOTOS

THE EVOLUTION OF WATERPARKS

ACKNOW LEDGEMENTS

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TOU R PL AY L I ST

Let's be real. We can't type out every song for you. But here's the highlights so you can at least post yourself singing the chorus of the biggest hits on your Instagram story.

SNEAKING OUT OF HEAVEN - WATERPARKS TURBULENT - WATERPARKS REAL SUPER DARK - WATERPARKS STUPID FOR YOU - WATERPARKS 21 QUESTIONS - WATERPARKS CRYING OVER IT ALL - WATERPARKS NUM B - WATERPARKS BLONDE - WATERPARKS DRAG M E DOWN - LOVELESS PICASSO - LOVELESS WORST CASE SCENARIO - LOVELESS HAUNTING M E - LOVELESS ADDICTED - LOVELESS OBSESSED - SOPHIE POWERS BREAKUP ON THE WEEKEND - SOPHIE POWERS NOSEBLEED - SOPHIE POWERS BATHROOM FLOOR - SOPHIE POWERS U LOVE IT - SOPHIE POWERS LUSH - POLLYANNA DON'T STAY, DON'T GO - POLLYANNA SLUT - POLLYANNA JUDAS (LADY GAGA COVER) - POLLYANNA RELATIONSHIP ANXIETY - POLLYANNA ADDICTION/ PRESCRIPTION - POPTROPICASLUTZ! TRUE COLORS - POPTROPICASLUTZ! BAD HABIT (DRAM ATIC!) - POPTROPICASLUTZ! CVS - WINNETKA BOWLING LEAGUE COM E TO THE BEACH - WINNETKA BOWLING LEAGUE HANDSOM E - WINNETKA BOWLING LEAGUE

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E R E H L I ST EN

Back in April [2023], at the beginning of the Intellectual Property tour cycle, Waterparks hosted a series of in-store signings, the first of which was in Long Beach. As I went up to say hello to the band, frontman Awsten Knight thanked me for ?making the drive and being here?, which I thought was a bit odd, since I?m a Southern California local? However, for many Waterparks fans, the travel was something that should actually be recognized.

Dozens of fans roadtripped and took flights (both domestic and international) to see the Houston band as many as 15 times on the Property tour. And for good reason! I had the opportunity to cover the first LA night of the Property tour at The Fonda, and as a Parx veteran, I can confirm that this tour is Waterparks at their very best.

T HE PR OPER T Y T OUR : LI V E AT T HE F ONDA 2023

W ith a The 1975-esque housed stage setup, breathtaking visuals by Jawn Rocha and Erik Rojas, and incredible work from their lighting and audio technicians, Waterparks was able to showcase their stage presence and extensive discography in a way that will stick with the audience for a very long time. Let?s paint the scene. At 7 pm, fans rush into the venue eager for a chance to get as close as possible to the stage. At 8 pm, first opener Sophie Powers goes on, warming up the crowd with her fashionable outfits, spunky energy, and catchy tunes..

8:40. Hunny, a trendy four piece with sparkly guitar riffs, clever lyrics, and a dedicated fanbase. Some of the crowdsurfing starts here, but that?s only the beginning. 9:50, the lights go down and screams erupt.

The stage goes black. Shadows emerge, Waterparks guitarist Geoff W igington and drummer Otto Wood come out and take their places. A furry parka walks through center stage- Awsten Knight. Red lights flash and the band begins to perform "ST*RFUCKER", their synth-pop opener. The song is energetic and quick, with an abrupt ending that slides right into "Numb", a jump-heavy hype track off their fourth album, Greatest Hits. The electricity in the room shoots up immediately, as do the crowdsurfers. Awsten feeds off the energy, urging them to keep going up. Heavy drums, guitarist spins, and flashing lights go down. W hen the song ends, Awsten addresses the audience, thanking them for coming and asking if they?d like to hear more songs. Hard yes.

Throughout their set, the band goes on to highlight music from all their eras throughout the show, playing fan favorites from over 5 years ago such as "Rare", "Stupid For You", and "Royal". Waterparks does a fantastic job of catering to all their fans, regardless of whether they?ve been listening since the first album or the latest one. This is also shown during the acoustic break, where they took fan song requests.

LA night one?s surprise set included "Blonde", "Sleep Alone", "21 Questions", and "Not Warriors". The mosh pits are constant throughout the show, and pick up heavily during 'War Crimes," "[REBOOT]", and "RITUAL". Awsten asks for ?more crowd surfers than there?s been all night? during closing song "A NIGHT OUT ON EARTH", and bodies fly over the crowd. W hen the band says goodnight and walks off stage, everyone yells ?ONE MORE SONG!? repeatedly. Waterparks comes back out with three: "REAL SUPER DARK", "Turbulent", and "FUNERAL GREY". The lights are bright, the music is loud, and the vibes are immaculate.

Once the show is over, the crowd files out with huge smiles on their faces. Some are gushing over their concert experience and showing off their caught guitar picks and setlists, some are rushing out to the front to be first in line for night two, some are lingering outside the venue waiting for the band to come out and say hi. Different endings to the night, but all happy. It's been a pleasure, Waterparks.

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W innetka Bowling League rolled into the last two dates of the Sneaking Out of Heaven Tour, and I was lucky enough to catch them! Not only at the LA Waterparks show, but also opening for a Loveless headline side show in San Diego. The side show crowd demographic was very different than what I'm used to at a typical Parx show. Attendees were hip, ranging in age, and generally seemed a lot more chill. Not in a too-cool-for-school kinda way, but in an indie rock, casually anticipating their favorite band type of way. I secretly wondered if this crowd could boogie. And the answer is yes, they totally could, and did! As soon as the lights dimmed, the energy was up, but not in a crazy way, W innetka Bowling League's bright stage lights and eccentric calmness brought vibes reminiscent of your 2012 crush's tumblr playlist. As soon as they started playing, the crowd's mood jumped. Twinkly tunes like "Handsome" felt like you'd just stepped out of a retro arcade game, and were about to get a new high score. "On the 5" was preceded by cheers for the LA freeway, which lead singer Matthew Kona jokingly questioned. Like, come on? Have you ever been in SoCal and driven on the 5? During rush hour? Nothing to cheer about- although the song itself is! Emotional ballads and nostalgic reminiscing littered the setlist, but it all sounded somewhat happy, at least a little bit, despite it all. Crowds of swaying bodies and some synchronized dance moves followed, film cameras leaping up into the air to capture the moment.

Awkwardly adorable love songs like "CVS" kept the couples in the audience close, swaying to the beat and creating lasting sappy memories. Frontman Matthew Kona commanded the stage with a lovable, endearingly dorky presence. Drummer Kris Mazzarisi and keyboardist Sam Beresford were locked in, focused on delivering the structure of the songs, and did an amazing job at making this live show an immersive experience. Overall, I went in knowing W innetka Bowling League was not the typical music I listen to, but their energy onstage is undeniable, and they've converted me into a believer. Someone who sees beauty in the mundane and knows how to enjoy the little things in life. Check them out! I promise that you won't roll one into the gutter with W innetka Bowling League!

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USFORONCE Issue6 JUNE2024

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