Photos by Tori McGraw.
As you open the door to Baby’s All Right, on a crisp Friday night, striking, colorful lights lead you towards the stage. If you can make your way to the front row, you’re faced with six musicians walking on stage, dressed like 1970s rockstars, picking up their instruments as the backtrack to “Saturday Morning Cartoons” begins. This is when you understand that Wilmah’s promise of a night full of infectious indie pop is one they’re going to fulfill.
The New York City-based band is led by childhood friends Matt Connolly (vox/guitar) and Will O’Connor (bass), accompanied by Mark Dylan (lead guitar), Ryan Wax (acoustic guitar), Greg Carleton (saxophone), and Matt Bove (drums). They’ve been on the rise, playing venues from Mercury Lounge to Bowery Ballroom all while honing their style and influences to blend into a uniquely refined sound. 
Through their live performances, Wilmah has established a loyal community of listeners who return show after show to sing every word. Having not played since October, fans were itching for the announcement of their first show of this year. When the time came, Wilmah curated a setlist that truly pleased all, from old fans to new.
They kicked off with deep cuts from their first album, “My Life Is Like a Doctor’s Handwriting,” electrifying the audience and setting the tone for the night. Then, “Saturday Morning Cartoons” eased into “Doorbell,” which had everyone screaming. In the song, Connolly sings, “You say you want the world,” and O’Connor sings back, “She wants the world;” fans follow suit by echoing it louder, one of many call-and-responses their fans have created.
Next came songs from their recently released EP, “On Being Young and Confused,” including “I Love The Rain,” “Boy For The Night,” the debut of “Say My Name,” and an unreleased single called “Under My Breath.” This is when each role in the band is highlighted and individuality stands out, while not taking away from the cohesive image and sound of Wilmah.
Live, Connolly takes command of the stage with captivating, effortless confidence. He doesn’t need to run, jump, scream, or dance around on stage to gain anyone’s attention. Instead, he connects through his lyrics, banter, and natural magnetic charm. His frontman qualities lay the foundation for the rest of the band, as Wax and Dylan dance as they sing backup, making the stage even more dynamic and alive. O’Connor gets his solo moment, like in their performance of their unreleased single “All of the Time,” igniting goosebumps as he screams out “It’s only all of the time.”
The end of the set was relentless in its momentum, growing louder and faster, mirroring the intensity of the audience erupting in chaos both on the stage and the floor. “Girls From Brooklyn,” an unreleased song never played live before, breaks from typical pop tendencies, implementing a rowdy rock song structure that had the audience erupting in a mosh pit. “Your Girl,” “All of the Time,” and “Good To Go” followed. Bove did not hold back here, playing harder with a level of eccentricity that carried his sound across the room. Likewise, Carleton shined in the second half of the set, ending each song with a sax solo of bold and soulful riffs.
The audience became one with the music as the mosh pit grew, and the language between the band, crowd, and instruments became fluent. If the music built to a climax, so did the audience, which led to an abundance of moshing, thrashing, and dancing. No one was in control, nor did anyone want to be, and no one wanted it to end. As the final note of “Good To Go” played, people did not walk away. The crowd remained still, reabsorbing all the energy they had exhausted.
To cap off the night, co-headliners Thesaurus Rex brought Wilmah back on stage for a final surprise: To cover Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire.” Watching every member dance together on stage left the audience in pure bliss by the end of the night.
On that Friday night, Wilmah played an evolution of their musical identity. Starting with their witty and catchy writing in “My Life is Like a Doctor’s Handwriting” and easing back into the more nuanced storytelling of their newer songs, they never lost the relatability of their lyrics and a performance that makes their live shows feel therapeutic. Their strong stage presence and commitment to one another emphasize audience connection. It’s no mystery why people keep coming back.
