Nicholas Petricca knows what it's like to follow a band from either side of the monitors. A music fan himself, Petricca admits it's easy for a fan to think a band got together around the time of a first tour or album. But being in a band has shown Petricca otherwise. "We've been touring hard for four-and-a-half years," he says. "We've been snailing our way up this mountain for quite some time."

During their earlier tours, Cincinnati-based Walk the Moon played shows at the 7th Street Entry when visiting Minneapolis. Now they're back in town to play two sold-out shows at the First Avenue mainroom. Ahead of their sound check, Walk the Moon stopped by The Current to play a couple songs and to talk to Mark Wheat.

As the name suggests, Walk the Moon are heavily influenced by the Police. But it was an album by the Killers that convinced Petricca that playing music was what he wanted to do. "[When I was] In high school, the Killers' album Hot Fuss came out," Petricca recalls, "and that was the first time I was listening to a record and I was like, 'I want to do this, I want to be this'."

Listen to the full interview to hear more about Walk the Moon's trajectory, and about what it was like for them to record their album in what may be a haunted lodge.

Songs Performed

"Different Colors"
"Shut Up and Dance"

Both songs off Walk the Moon's album, Talking is Hard, available on RCA Records.

Hosted by Mark Wheat
Produced by Derrick Stevens
Engineered by Michael DeMark and Henry Ingber
Web feature by Luke Taylor

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