Indie Band Wilderado Models Self-Compassion and Makes Hearts Sing

Wilderado’s 1st Ever Cain’s Ballroom Show With 104.5 The Edge Christmas Show

Now she’s down the street sitting in sunshine, probably smoking weed and sipping on box wine She knows me but she calls me by a different name Now she’s by the fire, hanging cold stockings I’m letting baby Jesus do most of the talking There’s a beauty in the silence that I chalk up to Christmas time

— Wilderado, “Rubble to Rubble”

The Edge Christmas Show

Rising surfer twang rockers, Wilderado, played their first show at Cain’s Ballroom last night — December 5, 2022 — in Tulsa, Oklahoma, their city of origin and current hometown.

We arrived during the opening act, Cafuné, from New York.

Wilderado was sandwiched between Cafuné and Silver Sun Pickups.

Like many others, we were at the annual 104.5 The Edge Christmas Show implicitly for Wilderado.

The house was packed, energy high, vape smoke wafting into the rafters and giving me a little buzz.

The multicolored spotlights added to the peppy ambiance.

Not only was it Wilderado’s first show at Cain’s, but it was also frontman Max Rainer’s 3-year-old daughter’s first show.

These guys got to stop and acknowledge their success in front of their home stomping grounds.

They sold out Red Rocks this year.

Milking the Pause

The opening song was a personal favorite.

“Stranger”

They knocked “Stranger” outta the park and then took a beat. The crowd went wild.

I left California for a bigger slice of cheese But I would have waited for you if you didn’t wanna leavе Yeah, the writing on the wall is the worst kind of lovе Didn’t anybody tell ya?

— Wilderado, “Stranger”

Frontman Max Rainer knows how to milk a pause. That’s a good skill to have. Life and music depend on the quiet beats along with the noise.

By the third or fourth song, Rainer apologized his voice wasn’t cooperating in higher registers. The crowd was gracious. We’re big enough fans to be ok with that.

Rainer leaned on his friends, and it was a beautiful sight to behold. A creative, in front of a crowd, willing to ask for help and confess a weakness. Seriously beautiful.

There was lots of help from the band and even the audience.

You know how good it feels to root for the underdog when they’re making it? This show had that vibe.

No, Don’t Take Off Your Shirts If You Don’t Want To

When a man in the crowd yelled in a grizzly voice, “Take off your shirt!” Rainer ignored him.

A song or so later, a grizzly voice again said, “Take your shirts off!” Rainer replied with no amusement, “Oh, the old ‘take off your shirts’ routine,” and moved on.

Let’s stop objectifying artists, y’all.

Wilderado Brought the Holiday Party Spirit

The pep continued with a Tom Petty + Americana + Surfer music vibe.

A tall concertgoer raised his right upper appendage high overhead to wave his cell phone “lighter.”

People jumped, bobbed, bopped, hollered, and sang.

I’m pretty sure a good time was had by all. And all had a good night.

“Favors” and “Surefire” made the setlist.

Wilderado finished out the set with “Rubble to Rubble.” The band singing, acoustic guitar, and the audience singing along. With Rainer’s voice a bit rough, the finale had a John Prine feel that I loved.

The Wilderado set felt like the 1990s — in a good way.

Godspeed, Wilderado. Y’all rock!

The following is the closest approximation I could get to the Cain’s Christmas 2022 Wilderado show setlist. If you have a correction, please reach out to aimee @ gramblin . com and I’ll edit appropriately.