The Walkmen Tickets

The Walkmen are one of the less likely success stories of 00s New York. The widely acclaimed quintet mix Latin flavours, surf guitars, cavernous reverb and early rock’n’roll, tied together with DC hardcore intensity and the soaring wail of frontman Hamilton Leithauser.

The band formed out of the ashes of two closely tied New York-based outfits: The Recoys and Jonathan Fire*Eater. When both called it a day, frontman Hamilton Leithauser and pianist Peter Bauer from the former joined up with guitarist Paul Maroon, bassist Walt Martin and drummer Matt Barrick from the latter.

The newly formed band constructed their own studio in Harlem, dubbed Marcata Studios, and set to work on their 2001 self-titled debut EP. Their debut full-length Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone was released to critical acclaim in 2002. The band’s sparse, atmospheric approach to piano-driven indie rock set them apart from the majority of their NYC peers, while the inclusion of single ‘We’ve Been Had’ on a car commercial in the US helped extend their reach considerably.

The Walkmen’s second album catapulted them into the annals of 00s NYC indie history. Bows + Arrows gave the world the single ‘The Rat’, ensuring indie club patrons would be hollering “Youuuuuu’ve got a nerve…” until the end of time. An appearance on The OC only furthered the band’s blossoming popularity.

Stepping back from the punchy sound of Bows + Arrows, 2006’s A Hundred Miles Off found The Walkmen in a folkier, more reflective mood. After Columbia University purchased the building that housed Marcata Studios, the band were forced to abandon their home, bidding farewell with an endearingly sloppy track-by-track cover of Harry Nilsson and John Lennon’s Pussy Cats.

The Walkmen closed out the decade with 2008’s nocturnal, lush-sounding You & Me, featuring the singles ‘In The New Year’ and ‘The Blue Route’. Lisbon followed in 2010, lightening the mood without losing any of the intensity.

Heaven arrived in 2012 to widespread critical praise. After extensive touring, the band surprised everyone by announcing in 2013 that they were taking an indefinite break to pursue their own projects. During this time, frontman Leithauser released two solo records, one collaboration with Rostam Batmanglij and soundtracked Ethan Hawke's docuseries The Last Movie Stars.

Ten years later, The Walkmen were back, embarking on an extensive reunion tour, while carefully pointing out that they never actually split up.