The indie pop-rock trio brings new songs from Revolver and older hits to Denver.

A swarm of devoted fans packed into the layered standing room of Marquis Theater on Nov. 3 to see indie pop-rock trio The Wldlfe.

The lights shut off as “Life Is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts burst through the speakers. Audience members sang along and bounced to the beat, reminiscing about the track’s lasting ties to the Cars franchise.

Quickly trading Lightning McQueen’s race car for a ruby-red pickup truck, The Wldlfe emerged to play “Ruby,” their nostalgia-laced plea to a girl not to break their hearts.

The Nashville-based band released their latest album, Revolver, on Oct. 2. Drawing inspiration from Parachute, Sam Fender and the Goo Goo Dolls, the project explores coming of age and romance through the lens of characters, infused with real-life experiences.

Rock star energy

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The group created a high-energy atmosphere as fans jumped around, sang along and clapped. Lead vocalist Jansen Hogan took on a charismatic troubadour persona as he leapt onto speakers to sing to the audience. Bassist Jack Crane locked in, lightly swaying, and guitarist and vocalist Carson Hogan gave off sweet, loverboy vibes. Touring drummer Miles Laderman held it down in the back.

Jansen Hogan encouraged the audience to keep building the excitement because his wife was in the crowd and it was her birthday. Their previous album, Heaven Is a Place, reflects on their story of falling for each other.

Strobe lights shifted from white to blue and pink on “Close to You” from the band’s 2023 album, Goodbye to All of That. Carson Hogan sang the whiny chorus of the punk rock track as fans shouted the lyrics.

Jansen Hogan danced around his microphone stand, sitting in the intense yearning on “Delusional.” He led different sides of the audience to sing the lyrics to “Box” before transitioning into the Hannah Montana theme song, “The Best of Both Worlds.” The crowd indulged in an overwhelming amount of frat flicking on “What If You Change?”

Balancing the new and old

The Wldlfe balanced their set with plenty of songs from their latest album and older classics from their 10 years of releasing music, including “Blood Orange” (2021) and “Waterfalls” (2016).

They delivered a magnetic performance of “Saturn,” leaning into the track’s galactic sound. Carson Hogan played the punchy guitar riff as Jansen Hogan sang about how he would do everything possible — even “steal the ring off Saturn” — to please a girl if she were his.

For the title track, “Revolver,” flickering sunset-colored lights shone behind them. The softer song reflects on knowing someone you loved is moving on and feeling empty. It was a moment to revel in the raw vulnerability of The Wldlfe’s discography.

The Wldlfe closed their set with the playful, synthy track “Somebody’s Gonna Love You.” Fans delighted in the band’s vibrant energy and left the venue smiling.

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Maddie Browning is a freelance arts and culture reporter who covers music, theatre, visual arts, books, food, and fashion. She has more than five years of culture writing experience, and her byline has appeared in NPR, the Los Angeles Times, Marie Claire, The Boston Globe, Business Insider, Denverite, Westword, Boston.com, WBUR, and Colorado Public Radio, among others. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Emerson College. On a day off, she enjoys checking out new local coffee shops and thrifting with friends.