LOS ANGELES, CA- The Fonda Theatre marked the final stop of Wavves’ Spun North American summer tour, and their return to L.A. felt like a fitting end to the run. By the time the venue started filling up, it was clear who this show was for. The crowd was a mix of longtime indie rock-heads and younger millennials, the kind of fans who came of age on the same soundtrack I did. There was a shared energy in the room—nostalgia tinged with excitement—that made it feel like a reunion of sorts, even among strangers.
I first discovered Wavves during my Tumblr era, somewhere between 2009 and the early 2010s, when indie music blogs and GIF edits were a big part of this online subculture. A lot of my peers had the same coming-of-age playlists shaped by artists like Best Coast, Arctic Monkeys, Vampire Weekend, Frank Ocean, Lana Del Rey, Grimes, and The xx. It was a time when discovering a new band felt like unlocking a new piece of your identity. When Wavves dropped their sophomore album King of the Beach in 2010, they undoubtedly became a quintessential act of that era with their catchy lo-fi, skate-park punk aesthetic ready to soundtrack our summers.
Jomel Fragante. (@jfrag.dng) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Opening the night was Chokecherry, a Bay Area trio made up of Izzie Clark (vocals/guitar), Scarlett Levinson (vocals/bass), and Abri Crocitto on drums. On my way to the venue, I threw on Chokecherry for the first time just to get a feel for what they were about. Some songs felt like anthemic shoegaze and grunge-inspired tracks, but with a sharper edge to it. It had that wall-of-sound wash you expect from shoegaze, but the way they pushed the guitars and drums gave it a punch that pulled me in right away. Hearing them live locked in what I’d just sampled on the drive over.
Chokecherry set the tone for the night perfectly, tapping into that fuzzy, distorted sound that would carry through the rest of the show. They slipped a couple of new songs into the set and, before wrapping up, mentioned their debut album dropping this November. One of the highlights came when Scarlett dedicated a song to her sister. A few seconds in, you realized it was a cover of Kelis’ “Milkshake,” but drenched in their own grungy, blown-out style. It was unexpected and kind of perfect for the vibe they’d built.
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Jomel Fragante. (@jfrag.dng) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Next up were Niis, a local L.A. punk band that cranked the energy up another notch. Their set came in fast and loud, with a confrontational streak that grabbed everyone’s attention. After three songs, their lead singer, Mimi SanDoe, leaned into the mic and asked, “How are you doing tonight? Hell yeah, I wanna see you shake your ass. Will you guys move around a little bit?!” The crowd roared back and the floor got looser, more alive.
A few songs later, she turned serious. “The road out there is crazy,” she said, hinting at the recent events happening across Los Angeles. “Better wake the fuck up. We live in L.A. All we have is each other.”
Then came the dedication: “This one goes out to a certain group of people,” and without missing a beat, she launched into it with a loud, pointed “FUCK YOU ICE.” It was clear she was talking about the ICE raids happening across L.A. It felt like a reworked version of their song “Fuck You Boy,” but with the volume turned up and the stakes made real. Classic punk energy, yes—but sharpened by urgency and rooted in what’s happening right now in the city. It wasn’t just noise or attitude. It was protest. It was personal.
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Jomel Fragante. (@jfrag.dng) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
As soon as the main act stepped on stage, the crowd cheered. The setup was stripped down, with just a massive banner hanging behind them with “Wavves” written in the same stylized font as their new record. No flashy stage props—just the band and the music front and center. Wavves got things going strong right away, mixing new songs from Spun with longtime bangers. They wasted no time diving into fan favorites “Idiot” and “King of the Beach.” “Idiot” had that reckless energy, while “King of the Beach” felt like 2010 nostalgia—sun-bleached guitars and zero cares in the world.
Then there’s “Goner,” the lead single from their new record Spun. It’s one of their polished pop-punk tracks but still carries that bratty Wavves energy underneath. They’ve been on the road for their new album Spun, which leans into a cleaner sound, stepping away from the lo-fi, fuzzy energy that defined their earlier records. It’s still very much Wavves—just a little more dialed in lyrically. Live, those new songs hit with more punch as they’re built for a crowd.
Right before launching into their last couple of songs for the night, Nathan Williams (founder and frontman) took a moment to talk to the crowd. He shared that he’d messed up his back earlier in the tour, and it was bad enough that he almost had to call it off halfway through. “I’d like to thank beer,” he said with a smirk, and the crowd laughed. But then he got a little more real: “Happy to be with you guys. Glad I was able to finish the tour.” He gave a quick shoutout to the openers and ended it by saying he’ll always love Los Angeles. It didn’t feel rehearsed—just one of those genuine things that stick with you.
Jomel Fragante. (@jfrag.dng) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Finally, they ended the night with “Green Eyes,” and the whole room lit up—literally and emotionally. The stage was washed in deep green light, and the second the first chords hit, the crowd knew what was coming. Everyone was singing along, loud enough to drown out the PA. It was one of those moments where you could feel everyone on the same page. The floor turned into a full-blown mosh pit (the fourth mosh pit of the set). It was huge, fast, and messy. People near the middle had to push their way out to avoid getting caught in it. Wavves stretched out the outro, the drums hitting harder and longer than usual, and the crowd just kept going. You could hear cheers in every pocket of the room. It felt like the pit wasn’t going to stop, like the song could’ve gone on forever.
The crowd was definitely stacked with longtime fans. Hardly anyone had their phones out; everyone seemed genuinely immersed in the moment. After a quieter stretch since their 2021 album Hideaway, a few side projects, and some time out of the spotlight, this tour felt like a proper return. The new songs from Spun hit harder live, mixing clean pop-punk with the scrappy energy that made us fall for them back in the Tumblr days. It was a reminder of why Wavves has stayed in our playlists all these years—and why their sound still feels like summer.
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