Walk Off The Earth with special guest Andy Grammer performed Sunday, August 16th at The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor, and it was a match made in Heaven.
Andy Grammer is an amazing singer/performer, and his family-friendly show fits right in with WOTE, which is literally a performing family now. The three children of Gianni “Luminati” Nicassio and lead singer Sarah Blackwood have become a major part of the show, forming their own band cleverly named “Luminati Suns”.
Grammer got the crowd well warmed up, walking out to the opening of Bittersweet Symphony, he opened with the title song of his upcoming album, Big Stupid Heart, and it appears that’s what he has: a big stupid heart. He engaged with the crowd every chance he got and even dedicated a song to someone in the audience going through a difficult divorce.
I was not familiar with Grammer’s music, but his charming stage presence and amazing vocal ability had me hooked. He said he once said his fan base was from the age of 6 to 60, but an older fan complained he left her out, so he changed it to “5 to 85”. The uplifting nature of Grammer’s music is a welcome and soothing salve for troubled times.
The uplifting nature of Grammer’s music is a welcome and soothing salve for troubled times.
What can I say about Walk Off the Earth that hasn’t already been said? The infectious energy that they bring to the stage is why they continue to pack venues with fans of all ages. Their clever use of PVC pipes, kazoos, slide whistles, and anything they can get an interesting sound out of makes their music accessible to all and gives them a unique sound. This was displayed prominently early in the show during a pop mashup of Stand By Me, Come On Eileen, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, No Scrubs, Shape of You, Royals, and Hello.
The three Luminati kids, Giorgio, Luigi, and Romeo, performed a couple of songs as the up-and-coming Luminati Suns band. They are truly a family act, and the kids seem to love the spotlight and have inherited their parents' musical talent.
No show would be complete without the four main members performing the cover of Somebody That I Used to Know on a custom acoustic guitar featuring three necks and a drum pad. This is the song that started it all for them as a viral YouTube performance and continues to be the anchor of their performance, now performed as a nine-song medley.
The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor has changed its focus to more family and all-ages shows, and this show fit the bill. It seems to be working well. Both this show and the Weird Al show July 4th were well attended, and I hope this trend continues.
Walk Off The Earth
Andy Grammer
