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On November 19, 2025, the Nashville-based indie-rock band WILLIS brought their “Real Vacation” tour to Slowdown in Omaha. They performed an emotionally resonant set before a passionate and fun crowd. Doors opened at 7 p.m., and by 8 p.m., the Main Room was starting to fill up. There were fans wearing merch from past tours, as well as lots of fans being first in line for the merch from this tour. Their fans were very passionate about the band that they were there to see.
The band was originally formed in Florence, Alabama, but is now based in Nashville. WILLIS began as five friends making music in their childhood bedrooms. After nearly a decade, they have built a deeply engaged following, they have passed over 350 million streams and have a RIAA Platinum-Certified Record, all while still keeping their live performances intimate and authentic to their personalities.
At Slowdown, the band definitely delivered. Their set opened gently, layered with soft guitar lines along with warm vocals that invited the audience in from the very start of the show. They drew on songs from their “Locals EP” series and some from their debut LP “I Can’t Thank You Enough”. This struck a perfect balance between nostalgia and emotional growth. Their breakout track, “I Think I Like When It Rains”, landed exactly like I thought it was going to, perfectly. Its soft melody prompted a very loud sing-along from the crowd, which was heartwarming to hear.
The band's chemistry shone through the night. Between songs, they'd tell little jokes and thank the audience. Some bands overplay doing that, but I don't think that they did. Everything felt rooted in friendship and gratitude. The rhythms were driven smoothly, while melodic flourishes from the lead guitar added the needed flair. In more introspective moments, the band also leaned into quiet, allowing some space to breathe.
Opening act Winyah set the tone extremely well. Their introspective and dreamy songwriting complemented the warmth of WILLIS, and their stage presence felt natural and fun. Winyah is an extremely talented band from South Carolina. They have been blowing up over the last few months, and at the point this article is being written, they have more Instagram followers than WILLIS. If you aren't familiar with Winyah, do yourself a favor and go check them out.
The venue itself served the show well. Slowdown’s intimate main room kept the energy tight, and it created a sense of closeness between the band and the audience. The sound quality was great, the vocals were clear, and the mix allowed each instrument to shine without drowning out any of the others.
WILLIS closed out the night with some of their fan favorites, bringing the energy full circle. Their final songs were full of energy and passion. As fans spilled out into the chilly Omaha night, the lead singer, Murphy, came out to meet fans who stuck around a little longer.
All in all, WILLIS was a great show, not because of how crazy the performance was but because of heart. They were very chill and laid back. WILLIS proved that their strength is in connection to their fans and crafting music that resonates long after the last note of the night is played.
