August 7th, 2025 - Portland, Oregon

If you’re a seasoned Music Box-er, you may remember that Wilt, the four-piece rock band hailing from Los Angeles, were one of the very first bands to be featured on the site. Since then, I’ve continued to interview them annually to reflect on their progress and growth each year.

It only took three and a half years to get to feature them as a live act, and not just in a virtual interview!

Their show in Portland was nothing short of magical. Local band Femme Cell opened the night and exquisitely prepped the crowd for the main act. The energy was high from the second Wilt stepped onstage with the opening chords of “the riff.” Lead singer Chelsea Rifkin has a stage presence that is entirely refreshing, while also feeling familiar— like something you once witnessed in the likes of Hayley Williams or Courtney Love.

In 2024, the band released their first multiple-track project, the self-titled wilt EP. “you’re the one to blame,” the first track on the project, is one of the most beautiful showcases of Rifkin’s vocals. Both in the recorded and live versions, she doesn’t miss a beat with her belting.

Guitarists Andrew Perrea and Aaron Liebman kept the energy high from the sides of the stage. Perrea even joined Rifkin for a duet at one point in the set, making the moment feel like a singalong. The smiles were contagious both onstage and in the crowd. There’s something so warm and familiar about seeing an incredibly talented band in a venue small enough to make everyone feel like family. The band played a good handful of unreleased songs, making the crowd feel like they were in on a fun little secret, getting to hear something special that the rest of the world hasn’t yet.

Wilt’s success with the track “bite my tongue” made it all the more anticipatory to hear live. The song had the most beautiful way of filling the room— a lot thanks to drummer Dan Bermudez, whose full-body commitment to keeping the rhythm and transforming the track made all the difference. They finished the show off with “moved along,” encouraging everyone to dance and fill the room with one last crescendo of energy before saying goodnight.