Andrew W.K. walked into the Mohawk on Saturday night like a knighted champion of the court of partying. The one-man-band who found success with his 2001 debut album, I Get Wet, has continued to get new music out consistently despite issues with his record company. His latest album, You’re Not Alone, might be his strongest to date and his subsequent tour has unveiled a mature yet charismatic Andrew, who approaches his shows with a perfectionist mentality.
While many artists are complacent with lulls in their live show, bookending weaker tracks with hits, Andrew W.K. refuses to concede those nadirs in his show. Beginning with the building track of “The Power of Partying”, the stage then explodes with “Music Is Worth Living For” in flashes of strobe and Andrew in a messiah-like pose. Many of Andrew’s songs, especially off the new album, have affirmation built into them and they serve as much as inspiration as they do for musical entertainment.
While Andrew is the focal point of the chaos onstage, he is surrounded by a perfectly rehearsed band that continuously challenges each other’s energy levels. Guitarist, Amanda Lepre, is a tour de force and also happens to be an Austinite, while his dominant drummer, Clark Danger, was discovered after submitting a personal Youtube video of himself covering
To say the set is polished is wild understatement and theatrical songs like “Ready To Die”, “She Is Beautiful” and “We Want Fun” are met with a riotous crowd reaction. Andrew W.K. addresses the crowd in his most sophomoric but endearing party-voice:
“We’ve been partying in the Hill Country for a long time… And all those parties have swirled into one deja-vu party that keeps getting better. Even if you blackout tonight and don’t remember the show, your soul will still remember!”
W.K would get through 13 riveting tracks before another 4 that would throttle the encore. The final song would be his rainmaker, with “Party Hard” getting one more primal reaction from fans. While Andrew W.K. might have a mainstream reputation of being a meathead headbanger, his songs tell a different story of positivity and resilience that adds another level of depth to his orchestrations. A liberated and optimistic Andrew, makes for a seemingly endless future of inspiring music.