Walk the Moon glad to be home to perform

Walk The Moon spent the past three months playing its upbeat, '80s-inspired brand of indie pop at some of the band's biggest shows yet. Headlining sold-out rooms from coast to coast, in Canada and the United Kingdom, the homegrown band has wowed audiences with two-night stands at some of their dream venues – think Terminal 5 in New York and 9:30 Club in DC.

Its improbably catchy single "Shut Up and Dance" is at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Rolling Stone, Parade and Entertainment Weekly have all taken note.

And yet, even after all that success, all that time in the limelight, taking the stage at Bunbury this Friday will be a big deal for the quartet.

"It's really cool to see something in Cincinnati happening on such a big scale and for it to be supported in such a big way," guitarist Eli Maiman said of the festival. "We grew up kind of spending time on the river and going to the parks there ... To be able to play a festival down there for thousands of people, it's a dream come true for the Ohio boys in us."

A dream come true, and also a bit of deja vu. The band played Bunbury 2013, closing its high-energy set with another you'll-have-it-in-your-head-for-days hit, "Anna Sun," while a sea of fans in neon face paint danced along.

Still, it's a little odd for Maiman to be recognized at home, having guys in the bathroom line at Riverbend punch him on the shoulder and say "see you next Friday." A little overwhelming when he's hanging out at the Moerlein Lager House and hears "Shut Up and Dance" come across the speakers – twice.

After all, Maiman is still the same guy he was when he went to the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. But he's thankful for the appreciation. And with half the band hailing from Cincinnati and half from Columbus, shows at home are always welcome.

"It's kind of become a joke with our fans how much we talk about being from Ohio," said Maiman, who grew up in Madeira and now lives in Northside for at least two months of the year, when he's not touring or recording out of town.

All that travel gives the band a different perspective on the city.

"We don't see things in Cincinnati happening bit by bit," said Maiman, who calls himself a "lifer" here. Instead, for example, he found that Washington Park had sprung up "all of a sudden."

"It's cool to come back and see how vibrant the city is and how much it flourishing right now," he said.

Representing

Maiman likes to take that sentiment with him on the road, representing a home state that has been misunderstood in the past.

"A couple of years ago, when we were being courted by record labels, when people would find out we were from Ohio, it would almost be like some kind of disability. Did we take the horse and buggy? People don't understand that we have vibrant food and music and arts scenes," he said. "We kind of feel like it's our job to get people hip to what's going on in the Midwest."

And on the road, they're coming in contact with more and more fans to whom they can spread that gospel.

"Every night, Nicholas (singer/keyboardist Petricca) asks the audience, 'who's never been to a Walk The Moon show before,' and every night it's at least half the crowd," Maiman said. "It's a real thrill to see it growing in a tangible way."

They're also reaching fans through social media – about 308,000 on Facebook, 159,000 on Twitter and 155,000 on Instagram. Virtually all of the band's social media interactions are done by, or at least dictated by, the band, Maiman said, an activity that's time-consuming but worthwhile.

"It's such a big way to deepen the fan experience," he said. "I think about how incredible it would be for me if I was growing up and I could interact with Led Zeppelin directly. Not that we're on that level but, for me, that would be such an incredible moment.

"That's how we've built out fan base, is playing tons of shows, meeting people and developing these personal relationships," he added. "It's a hallmark of our band."

That means live shows are always a consideration when the band is recording.

"We really think that's where the heart of Walk The Moon is, is on the connection between us and the fans, and the fans and each other, when we're playing live," Maiman said. "When we're in the studio, we're thinking about how things will come across live most of the time.

"With the new record, 'Talking Is Hard,' we wanted to expand our sound," he said. "We wanted to try a lot of different things. What ended up happening was that we got deeper in all directions. We became more ferocious and more romantic in soundscaping."

That's harder to translate live for a band that doesn't use any pre-recorded material in concert.

"But it became a really rewarding experience," Maiman said. "Especially seeing fans sing along with every word and dance their butts off."

"Shut Up and Dance" seems tailor-made for the band's live show. Maiman said the band knew the song was something special, but didn't expect it to be as big of a hit as it has been.

After a week off to rest – and presumably at least one order of poutine from Senate, a place he always hits when he's home – Maiman and the band should be ready to rock the crowd at Bunbury. So get ready to shut up and dance.

Walk The Moon takes the Bunbury stage at Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove at 7:30 p.m. Friday. One-day tickets, $79, are available atwww.bunburyfestival.com.