Orange Bowl halftime show will see this pop rock band end its 'hibernation'

Dan Rorabaugh, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida

Fans at the Orange Bowl will be getting more than just a great game between Florida State and Georgia, two teams that narrowly missed the College Football Playoff.

They'll also see what could be the last live performance of one of the biggest pop rock bands of the past decade.

The bowl announced Walk the Moon would headline the Orange Bowl halftime show on Saturday, December 30. The Cincinnati-based band, known for hits like "Anna Sun" and "Tightrope," launched its debut studio album in 2012 and took off to superstardom with its 2014 hit "Shut Up and Dance."

But this year, frontman and founder Nicholas Petricca announced the multi-platinum band would be going on an indefinite "hibernation," leaving the future of Walk the Moon in doubt. The band released a new album of previously recorded music in November, and it looks like the act is getting back together one more time before 2023 ends.

Here's what to know:

Who is Walk the Moon?

Walk the Moon started in 2006 when lead singer Nicholas Petricca was a college student in Ohio. The current lineup formed in 2011 with guitarist Eli Maiman and drummer Sean Waugaman.

The band is known for incorporating vibrant colors into their performances to pair with their lively sound. The band played at the 2015 Home Run Derby in Cincinnati, the band's hometown, as well as the 2016 NBA All-Star Game.

Bassist Kevin Ray left the band in 2020 after Petricca said he "acted out of alignment with our values."

What was Walk the Moon's biggest hit?

Walk the Moon is best known for its 2014 smash "Shut Up and Dance." The song has more than 1.5 billion plays on Spotify, and the music video has 428 million views on YouTube. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent more than a year on the charts.

Some of the band's other hits include "Anna Sun," "Lost in the Wild" and "One Foot," which spent eight weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.

Why did Walk the Moon break up? They haven't, they're just 'in hibernation'

Frontman Nicholas Petricca announced in July that the band would be taking an indefinite hiatus from touring and making new music.

“The time has come for us to take a good long break from touring and making records together,” Petricca said in a video posted to the band’s YouTube page. “When we do reconvene, that will be a glorious day. And the truth is, we don’t know when that’s gonna be.”

He also announced a new album, The Liftaway, which released November 17.

The band currently has no tour dates listed on its website.

When is the Orange Bowl? How can I watch it?

  • Time: 4 p.m. Saturday, December 30

  • Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

  • TV: ESPN (Channel 206 on DirecTV, Channel 140 on Dish)

  • Streaming: WatchESPN and the ESPN app (TV provider subscription needed), fuboTV (7-day free trial), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial)

Florida State and Georgia will face off in the 2023 Orange Bowl at 4 p.m. Saturday, December 30 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

FSU vs. Georgia can be seen on ESPN. Joe Tessitore will be the play-by-play announcer with Jesse Palmer as analyst and Katie George as sideline reporter.

FSU fans can also go to select movie theaters across Florida to watch the Orange Bowl on the big screen.

Streaming options include fuboTV, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

How can I get Orange Bowl tickets?

Tickets and packages are available through the Orange Bowl website. Game tickets are available through the following ticket sites, with the lowest ticket prices as of December 28:

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Walk the Moon to perform at Orange Bowl halftime show

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