Room: Music Hall    

Support Acts: De’Wayne Jackson, Kitten

You write a record, go on tour, endure a very public breakup, and pen more songs about what
happened.
Sound familiar?
Well, this story sort of starts that way right before it makes a total 180-degree turn on a dime…
Rather than talk about “doing something different,” Waterparks actually did. On the heels of
landing their biggest chart and critical success to date on 2018’s Entertainment, the Houston, TX
three-piece—Awsten Knight [vocals, guitar], Otto Wood [drums], and Geoff Wigington
[guitar]—commenced writing again before scrapping everything. They reconfigured the vision,
recalibrated the entire approach, and reinvented themselves.
By doing so, the boys boldly break down walls between rock, pop, hip-hop, alternative, indie,
electronic, and even R&B with hashtaggable hooks and a level of gleeful playlist-hopping
mischief on their third full-length and Hopeless Records debut, FANDOM.
“Rather than do a bunch of bitter songs, we wanted to make something more exciting and
adventurous,” exclaims Awsten. “I don’t really want to just sing about breakup shit from 2017
in 2020. I’m not a one-dimensional character who’s all heartbreak-focused. I’m not the same
person I was two years ago. We had a lot more to say from touring and life experience. There
was a lot to reflect on. We talked about music culture and fandom culture, how those things
affect me, where I am mentally, and even a little bit about those relationships. And a lot of the
stuff that is more ‘heartbreak’ centered is coming from from a more confident place than a self-
pitying view. That’s why this is my favorite stuff we’ve done.”
They put in quite a bit of work to reach this point. Not only did Entertainment dent the
Billboard Top 200, but it also scored #5 on the Top Albums Chart, #7 on the Top Rock Albums
Chart, #18 on the Top Digital Albums Chart, #25 on the Top Current Albums Chart, and #36 on
the Physical Albums Chart. Standouts like “Blonde” and “Lucky People” mushroomed the
group’s total stream tally well past 100 million. Beyond packed headline dates, the band
canvased multiple continents alongside ONE OK ROCK, All Time Low, Sleeping With Sirens,
Good Charlotte, and more in addition to gracing the covers of Alternative Press, Kerrang!, and
Rock Sound. Plus, they received “Breakthrough Artist” at the Alternative Press Music Awards
and “Best International Newcomer” from Rock Sound.
As part of changing the process, they inked a deal with Hopeless Records and enlisted the
talents of producer Zakk Cervini [Poppy, Yungblud, nothing, nowhere] for the first time.
Huddling up in Los Angeles, Waterparks focused on assembling a cohesive vision across the
board. Awsten personally shot and designed the album art and directed music videos,
contributing to the overall cohesion.
“In the past, we recorded and did everything else pretty quickly,” recalls Awsten. “FANDOM is
the first time I made an album while living in Los Angeles. I got an apartment three minutes

from the studio. It was a big plus. It’s also the first time we switched producers. Zakk got in
there and really mixed it up sonically. We took a summer off to plan, because the rollout is so
fucking important to me. Back in the day, I’d be in the van, making mix edits, and rushing
everything. We decided to do this right.”
A trio of anthems—“Turbulent,” “Watch What Happens Next,” and “Dream Boy”—initially
teased out FANDOM. Meanwhile, “[Reboot]” flips sad confessions a la “I never promised you
your dream boy. I’m better as your chew toy” into off-kilter hip-hop buoyed by rapid-fire verses
and a hypnotic hook. Expanding the sonic palette, he recorded the sound of stepping on
seashells for the acoustic-driven diary entry “* *** ******* *** *** ** ****** * ******
******…”
Elsewhere, “*** ******” channels “Gorillaz and White Stripes” in equal measure as “*****
***” emanates unfiltered and unmitigated pop ambition. “***** ** *****” pairs echoing
percussion and seesawing guitars with vivid recollections like, “I used to save the words you said
in the text that you would send when you were going to bed.”
The last song completed for the record and final single, “**** *********,” swings from jazz-y
chords into autotuned transmissions over handclaps and an icy beat. As a whole, FANDOM
ushers Waterparks into uncharted territory.
“I don’t like talking about my emotions very much, but there were times I’d ended up fucking
crying on stage last year,” the singer admits. “I began going to therapy after the tour and
learned about grief. It was hard to heal in this environment in front of everyone. When the
band got bigger, we dealt with a lot of awkwardness from being on display every day and also in
terms of dealing with our peers. Growing pains are hard enough, but there was a heavy
presence around. It feels like someone is always waiting for you to slip up. Situations like that
ended up being themes on the album. Since I had more to talk about, I put myself out there
more.”
It was worth it for him to do so as FANDOM tells a different story for Waterparks and popular
music at large.
“I hope audiences experience the record with open minds,” Awsten leaves off. “It would be
easy to repeat ourselves. The older albums are a part of who we are. I want listeners to accept
growth and the honest expression of where we’re at now. This is Waterparks.”

House of Blues Anaheim at GardenWalk is Orange County's incredible home for live music! Our expansive venue features four distinctive and exciting environments under one roof.  House of Blues Restaurant and Bar is open for dinner, serving made-from-scratch, Southern favorites like Voodoo Shrimp and Jambalaya. The legendary Foundation Room features a beautiful lounge and bar offering the ultimate star treatment and access to preferred ticketing benefits through the Foundation Room VIP Club membership program. The Parish showcases intimate artist performances and private events and the Music Hall features multiple bars for food and drinks, mezzanine seating and state-of-the-art sound. Voted Best Live Music Venue, Best Rock Club and Best Night Club by OC Weekly's Reader's Choice, House of Blues Anaheim is OC's one-stop entertainment spot! Bring the whole family & join us at the Restaurant & Bar for your official pre-show fuel. Reservations are encouraged. Book your tables here.

Looking for a more elevated experience? Guests 21+ are invited to join us in the Foundation Room before the show for the finest in food & craft cocktails. On most nights, keep the party going after the show, and experience the after-hours experience at the Foundation Room. Click here for more information & to RSVP your spot!