WATERPARKS: BRISTOL, UK

galleryreview

31 Mar

Waterparks with support from Greywind
at O2 Academy in Bristol, UK - 25/03/2026
words and photos by Emily Young

Waterparks brought the hugely successful Prowler Tour across the pond this March, marking their headline return to the UK after three years. With a setlist specifically curated to bridge the gap left by their absence while teasing an upcoming album, the tour serves as a strong reminder of why the trio remains one of the most unpredictable yet exciting forces in alternative music.

Ireland’s Greywind saved the day by joining to support the UK dates after a last-minute dropout. In what seems like a rare occurrence nowadays, the venue is bustling just after doors, with fans eager to capture the performance of the support act. Greywind’s enthusiasm and engagement with the crowd have you believing they were meant to be supporting Waterparks all along.

Vocalist Steph O’Sullivan commands the crowd effortlessly, resulting in a sea of phone flashlights and perfectly timed sing-alongs as they bring their cinematic emo-rock to the O2 Academy in Bristol. Earworm ‘I.K.A.M.F.’ offers an upbeat approach to revenge, with O’Sullivan’s vocals displaying the mental anguish through lyrics, “I can’t find my halo / It slipped off, I tried / I killed all my friends ‘cause they wanted to die.” The dramatic flair does not go unnoticed; with a signature outfit and soaring vocals, Greywind are destined for larger stages.

Waterparks’ entrance comes with much anticipation, the roar of the crowd only growing as a video plays on the video wall at the back of the stage, introducing “The Waterparks Show” as the band enters in darkness.

The Prowler Tour is ultimately a story, taking the audience through chapters focusing on the primary human emotions displayed throughout the band’s discography. With each section being introduced by a video interlude of a man we now know to be their business manager, Waterparks reminds us of how it isn’t just a 90-minute set: it’s a theatrical experience from start to finish.

The “Happiness” chapter sees the band jumping straight into Entertainment’s ‘Blonde’, setting a high bar for energy. Seamlessly transitioning into ‘SNEAKING OUT OF HEAVEN’ and ‘FUCK ABOUT IT’ from the latest album Intellectual Property, Waterparks demonstrates their seamless evolution across genres, floating effortlessly between hyper-pop anthems and alt-rock hits.

Crowd interaction isn’t anything new when it comes to the Texan trio; however, with this tour, they step it up a notch. Offering fans the choice between playing ‘Telephone’ and ‘Peach (Lobotomy)’, the former was chosen, and drummer Otto Wood rounds out the song with a revised version of its outro, “He’s losing his mind… and Bristol is reaping all the benefits.”

When guitarist Geoff Wigington and Otto Wood leave the stage for the acoustic section, fans are already displaying handmade signs or holding up their phones with song titles. Vocalist Awsten Knight takes his pick and performs a medley of fan requests, including deep cuts like the Double Dare bonus track ‘What We Do For Fun’ and unreleased demo ‘Teenage Jealousy’, alongside ‘No Capes’ and ‘Easy To Hate’.

Waterparks bring out exactly what the crowd has been waiting for: the “Anticipation” segment featuring their latest material. After reassuring that their next album is finished and will be here sooner than fans think, they jump into ‘If Lyrics Were Confidential’, followed by ‘Red Guitar’– featuring an incredible guitar solo–and a snippet of the unreleased track the tour is named after, ‘Prowler’. Rounding out the preview of what’s next to come for Waterparks is a heart-warming rendition of their latest single, ‘Any Minute Now’.

Between sharp-witted humour and pausing to check in on fans in the pit, the band never falters. Their energy remains high, and Knight’s intense stage presence and vocal range only continue to impress.

The final chapter comes in the form of “Anger”. Heavy-hitting tracks ‘[Reboot]’, ‘REAL SUPER DARK’ and ‘TURBULENT’ push fans to give every last ounce of energy, screaming lyrics while circle pits open to the sounds of Wigington’s guitar. Knight jumps down from the stage to join the fans against the barricade as the set wraps up with high-energy ‘LIKE IT’, solidifying the sense of community within the fandom.

Throughout their set, Waterparks executed a highly thought-out breakdown of the human experience, seamlessly weaving their historically pop-focused tracks with their grittier, more experimental future.

Waterparks remind Bristol just how chaotic and entertaining their headline shows can be, promising to return to the UK sooner rather than later. Fans are firmly in their own “Anticipation” chapter, waiting for the sixth Waterparks album on the horizon, proving that their three-year absence from UK soil didn’t hinder them, but instead provided a more polished, defined version of Waterparks.