Wild Fun at Manning

Indie folk band Wild Rivers impresses and entertains at USYD’s student bar

It was difficult to discern everything that Devan Glover and Khalid Yassein of Canadian indie folk band Wild Rivers said in between songs at Manning Bar last Saturday over the techno rave happening in the venue’s courtyard. The juxtaposition felt like it had been planted to give the band something to joke about onstage as they prefaced their famously melancholic songs – their 2020 EP is aptly titled Songs to Break Up To – over the cacophony of university students who could not have taken a more different approach to coping with their own heartbreaks. Opener Harrison Storm – a Melbourne native – echoed the sentiment, remarking that his “favorite blend of genres is techno and indie folk, so this is great.” Amusement aside, the din never stopped the Toronto natives from transforming USYD’s student bar into a place of mellow catharsis, with a Triple J-esque set that made the sold-out venue feel intimate. 

Wild Rivers released two LPs in 2024, Never Better and Better Now, the latter of which – as Yassein reflected to the band’s eager audience – was the product of six weeks spent in a California desert “making music without any expectations” and barbequing at night. The nature of the record’s genesis is palpable when they perform it onstage, with lyricism and instrumentation reminiscent of Mt. Joy and Adam Melchor. They enjoyed indulging in casual causerie between songs, their engaging stage presence unsurprising given their impressive history touring with American powerhouses Noah Kahan and The Chicks. With Liam Gough (drums) and Ashley David (bass) supporting the band’s three-person foundation – Glover, Yassein, and Andrew Oliver (guitar and synths) – the group looked comfortable together. Glover and Yassein alternated on lead vocals, but both remained consistent in the mellow yet expressive energy with which they write and perform. 

Opening act Harrison Storm was exceptional, offering eloquent storytelling and impressive falsetto that felt similar to – but not imitative of – Bon Iver and Ryan Beatty. Admittedly, he’s come a long way from his time as a busker on the streets of Melbourne, where he’d sometimes be “playing for two pigeons.” His song ‘Breathe Again,’ a response to a “scathing” five page poem he received from an ex-girlfriend, was particularly memorable. “The way that she was using imagery and metaphors to just roast me was, um, quite beautiful,” he shared. Evidently, so is the song it inspired. 

Wild Rivers was also open about the role that heartbreak plays in inspiring their music, remarking that they “love breakups” because “they pay the bills.” ‘Amsterdam’ is a highlight of their discography, inspired by a breakup that Glover’s cousin once endured, though she shared that it worked out because “now they’re engaged!” Grinning nefariously, Glover encouraged that “it can happen to anyone; text your ex!” ‘Don’t’ is also a sad standout, with arrangements that made the live performance even more powerful than its studio version: “And there’s no good reason that I should go/‘Cause I’m not much better on my own/But you know when you know and I don’t.” Encapsulating the self-deprecation that often characterises heartbreak, the song is about “realizing that someone isn’t your person” when navigating dating in your late 20s. ‘Speak Too Soon’ is less tragic but equally impressive, as the live performance contained an added glorious guitar solo that felt asymmetrical from the rest of the song but was welcomed by the audience nonetheless. 

Wild Rivers was also open about the role that heartbreak plays in inspiring their music, remarking that they “love breakups” because “they pay the bills.”

‘Thinking ‘Bout Love’ was a fan favourite, and rightfully so. The refrain – “It’s kinda like a light went off/And now you’re dead set on giving me up” – is raw and vulnerable. Underpinned by electric guitar, which elevated the band’s entire set, the song reflects the abandonment in realising a partner is “just thinking ‘bout tomorrow” while the narrator is “just thinking ‘bout love.” Despite the loneliness and despair that characterise the song, the audience was gleeful when the band began playing it as the show’s encore; everyone was visibly excited to end the show with their favourite Wild Rivers song. 

Exiting the stage to unrestrained applause, Wild Rivers assured that they will “definitely, definitely, definitely” be back in Australia. For now, they’d celebrate their successful performance by relaxing. And maybe heading downstairs for the rave.