BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — In a moment of downtime before heading out to perform and meet fans at the Mall of America, Waterparks band members Awsten Knight, Geoff Wigington, and Otto Wood shared what it's like to be back on tour.
"It's really fulfilling and it reminds you that it's all real," lead vocalist Knight said. "When you only see it through like your phone it's not as real but then when you meet all those people in real life you're like, you do exist? That's crazy."
Exhausting as it is.
"Yeah, makes me so tired," Knight said. "I'm operating at like a three or a four when we're out there."
Several other big acts are returning to the Twin Cities, too. Just last weekend, First Avenue held its first concerts in 16 months. This coming weekend, Twin Cities Summer Jam will feature stars including Carrie Underwood.
For Knight, safety is key.
"I liked last year because I didn't get sick," he said. "That's the first time because normally we meet a lot of people and then they cough in my mouth and then I'm so sick."
Masks were required at their Mall of America meet and greet Monday.
As their tours continue from London to LA, there will be plenty of songs to perform. Knight says he made 108 different tunes during the pandemic, with 17 of them out now on an album called Greatest Hits.
"The pandemic was scary because we had a million tours booked and then we didn't but creatively it was very good," Knight said.
Waterparks is already planning to come back to the area November 1 for a show at the Fillmore in Minneapolis.