Ticketmaster 10: Gianni Nicassio and Joel Cassady of Walk Off The Earth

Since 2006, Walk Off The Earth has been growing and transforming in a game all their own, from growing effortlessly through a collection of majorly viral covers (like their take on Gotye’s “Somebody I Used To Know” sitting 180 million views strong), to collaborating with legendary artists from Keith Urban to Snoop Dogg.

Their original songs like the multi-platinum “Rule The World” and the #1-charting “Red Hands” have only skyrocketed their growth and the love they receive from fans thanks to their lush unifying harmonies, charming instrumentation, and spectacular live production – all beaming with relentless positivity.

Fans will certainly feel this vibe radiating through the responses to this edition of Ticketmaster 10, as we catch up with group members Gianni “Luminati” Nicassio and Joel Cassady before Walk Off The Earth takes over some of North America’s most renowned venues on their upcoming tour – now on sale and stopping through a city near you.


Ticketmaster 10 with Gianni “Luminati” Nicassio and Joel Cassady of Walk Off The Earth

1. What’s the first song you learned to play and why?

Joel: The first popular song I ever learned was probably blink-182’s “All The Small Things” on guitar. I’m part of the generation that was pretty much raised on Blink/Green Day/Sum 41, etc. so wanting to learn all those songs on every instrument was huge for me.

 

2. What’s your favorite memory attending a show as a fan, and why?

Joel: One of my fondest concert memories was when my parents surprised my brother and I with tickets to see The Strokes at the House of Blues in Orlando (Disneyland) when I was 15. They were my absolute favourite band at the time, and we actually ran into the drummer Fab Moretti and his then-girlfriend Drew Barrymore at Epcot earlier in the day.

The show totally blew my mind (at one point Julian [Casablancas] climbed up to the second floor of the venue mid-song and I got to shake his hand), and was definitely a seminal moment in my journey to becoming a performer.

Was a total full-circle moment the first time that we got to play that same venue 10 years later!

 

3. Describe your performance style in one word.

Joel: EXCLAMATORY!!!

 

4. If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be and why?

Joel: Probably Mark Ronson. His ability to consistently stay relevant and be an integral part of some of the biggest and most influential projects at all times is truly amazing.

 

5. Fill in the blank: I would be a nervous wreck if I knew _______ was in the audience watching me. Why?

Joel: Danny DeVito. I’ve heard that he’s very hard to impress and I’m a huge fan of his work.

 

6. What’s the first lyric you wrote that you were really proud of, and why?

Gianni: This lyric from our song “Hold On,” because we live by it!

“You gotta hold onto what you got, it ain’t always greener on the other side / We ain’t rich, but we’re worth a lot, I wanna see the world with your hand in my hand, you know…”

.

7. What’s your dream collaboration? Why do you want to work with that person?

Gianni: I would say Paul McCartney because he is one of our favorite songwriters from one of our favorite bands!

 

8. Fill in the blank: If a music lover is into ______, ______, and ______, they’ll love Walk Off The Earth.

Gianni: Love, happiness, and puppies!

 

9. Who do you do it for and why?

Gianni: We do it for our fans because they inspire us. And we do it for our haters because we love proving them wrong!

 

10. What are your words to live by? Any life advice?

Gianni: Don’t drink chocolate milk before bed, because it will give you nightmares.

 

Encore!

On a scale of 1–10, how stoked is Walk Off The Earth on life right now?

Gianni: We are always running at about 11 because we are stoked AF on life!

 

Where are you dying to play a show / visit?

Joel: We’ve been very fortunate to perform in some incredible places all over the world, but we’ve yet to make it to Iceland and I’ve always wanted to go out there. I feel like it would be right up there with Japan in terms of culture shock and otherworldliness.

 

Van, bus, boat, or airplane?

Joel: I actually got to go off-grid here and choose train! The treacherous Canadian winter recently blessed us with a slew of cancelled flights, and we wound up having to take a last-minute train out to Montreal for a show. So much less of a headache than flying or driving! We’ve actually been talking about trying to route a tour along the train routes a la the “Festival Express” back in the day. They were definitely onto something with that.

 

What is your favorite piece of clothing / wardrobe, and why?

Gianni: Our one-piece jumpsuits – we haven’t lost our pants since!

 

What’s a skill outside of music you are working on / mastering?

Gianni: Tandem bike riding – we just bought a four seater!

 

Who are your celebrity crushes?

Joel: It’s a tie between Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep (present day). Golden goddesses!

 

Where’s the best / most beautiful stretch of road you’ve seen on tour?

Joel: We don’t get to see much when we’re on buses since we’re traveling overnight for the most part, but I’ll never forget passing through the lavender fields in Provence, France. Stunning purples as far as the eye can see!

 

Complete your summer by catching the charm and enthusiasm of Walk Off The Earth in a city near you. Tickets available here and in the widget below.

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