Louisville got its first taste of Liverpool indie royalty when The Wombats rolled into town with their Oh! The Ocean North American Tour. The run, named after their 2025 release Oh! The Ocean, has been sweeping across the East Coast and beyond, but this stop carried extra significance. Frontman Matthew Murphy proudly noted that the Valentine’s Day performance at Mercury Ballroom marked the band’s first-ever show in Kentucky. He even came prepared, carefully practicing the local pronunciation of “Louisville,” a move that did not go unnoticed by the crowd.
Before the headliners took over, Cigarettes @ Sunset set the tone for the evening. The band, hailing from Boone, North Carolina, could still be found fifteen minutes before their set mingling with fans at the merch table. Their accessibility and relatability translated seamlessly to the stage, especially when the band joked about the small town of Boone being home to “the worst bowling alley.” Unlike the bowling alley, the band’s performance was anything but underwhelming.
Comprised of Garrett Dellinger (vocals/guitar), Wells Whitman (bass), Ethan Moore (drums), Sarah Vann (violin), and Ryland Bagby (guitar), Cigarettes @ Sunset has carved out a lane in the genre-bending subset they call “Appalachian Possum Rock.”
Live, their sound felt expansive and unfiltered. Dellinger’s raw vocals stirred emotion throughout the set. Their viral favorite, “Pavement,” ignited immediate feelings of nostalgia. Prior to that their 2025 single “Old Bleached Hair” left fans feeling introspective. Dellinger described the latter as a reflection on mental health. The emotional weight of the song resonated even more deeply in a live setting. By the end of the set, the crowd was fully warmed up and ready to party with The Wombats.
When the lights dimmed again, anticipation thickened. Drummer Dan Haggis emerged first, theatrically sketching a heart on the furry stage backdrop with his drumsticks before Murphy and bassist Tord Overland Knudsen joined him. Within moments, the opening riff of “Moving to New York” burst through the speakers. This triggered an immediate eruption of dancing and singalongs that stretched from the barricade to the balcony.
Across a 19-song set spanning more than two decades of music, the trio moved effortlessly between eras. Tracks like “Techno Fan” and “Cheetah Tongue” kept the momentum surging. One moment in particular sent the room into delighted disbelief. During “Ready for the High,” a human-sized wombat strutted onto the stage with a trombone in hand. What could have been a novelty bit transformed into a full-blown spectacle. This spectacle was complete with an animated solo and chaotic stage antics that had the crowd roaring.
From the grassroots warmth of Cigarettes @ Sunset to the endearing unpredictability of The Wombats, the evening balanced sincerity and spectacle. Kentucky may have waited 23 years for The Wombats’ arrival, but judging from the volume of the singalongs and the enthusiasm radiating from the stage, it is safe to say the introduction was worth it. And yes, Louisville now holds the distinguished honor of hosting a trombone-playing wombat.
The two can be found on several more shows together through February and tickets are sailing quickly.
