Live Review: Wolf Alice

Emily Baldwin

After a two month postponement, British Rock-Pop Band Wolf Alice finally found themselves in the Birmingham O2 Academy and they were ready for an electric performance. Stripped back, suave, and decked-out in suits, the gig was perfectly encapsulated by one avid fan’s callback: ‘This is F****** Rock.’

The stage was bare, enlisting only dreamy white curtains and the instruments to decorate. Considering the band’s far-ranging repertoire the staging suits fittingly; creating a dreamy space that can quickly be shifted through intense strobe lighting and green or blue hues.

It is hard to describe the performance as anything other than extremely cool. Their stage presence is immense. Lead singer Ellie Rowsell commands full attention throughout – rarely moving from her front and centre position. Her essence is so unique, somehow authentically embodying the often caricatured punk starlet, she simply oozes coolness, class, and talent. Although crowd interaction from the band was lower than I anticipated, bassist Theo Ellis injected some crowd-raising comments which got the Brummie audience going.

Wolf Alice’s talent for interweaving catchy rifts and spoken or shouted vocals make them a joy to watch live

The setlist kept everyone on their toes, which is unsurprising considering the band’s wide-ranging discography. As they began with crowd-favourite ‘Smile’ heads began rocking and drinks started flying before being rallied to a frenzy by the perfectly paced punk anthems ‘You’re a Germ’ and ‘Formidably Cool.’ Wolf Alice’s talent for interweaving catchy rifts and spoken or shouted vocals make them a joy to watch live, encapsulated through the cathartic shouts of ‘Formidable Cool.’

The slower but perfectly performative ‘Delicious Things,’ ‘Lipstick on The Glass,’ ‘Planet Hunter,’ and ‘How Can I Make It OK?’ follow in succession. Here, the mood changes and Ellie’s dreamy vocals combine with incredible synths and angelic lighting to lull the audience into a moment of respite after a ferocious opening. The show really found its stride here with so many crowd favourites following each other.

Yet, in true Wolf Alice dexterity, ‘Play The Greatest Hits’ roars into the academy with sirens, strobe lighting, and that familiar pushing feeling of pit forming. It is hard to say what was going on on the stage at this point, or even what they sounded like, as the crowd erupted in excitement. The full pint of beer that came home in my hair probably does the best job at encapsulating the moment.

The songs were played back to back and pause for discussion or commentary were rare, which simply increased the band’s suave gravitas

There is always something exciting about knowing a band is saving a song until the end, and this set concluded with the absolute anthem ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses.’ It was a euphoric moment, and I can only hope that every Wolf Alice fan gets to see it performed live one day.

The songs were played back to back and pause for discussion or commentary were rare, which simply increased the band’s suave gravitas. A certain confident, collected cockiness was clear, elevating the atmosphere. It truly felt like we were watching the next biggest band in British Rock and the growing accolades (BRIT Award, I am talking about you) would agree. I was pleased to see a very mixed audience, with an even split between twenty-somethings, thirty-somethings and middle-aged fans.

Wolf Alice’s sound is agile, unique, and a true testament to British Rock. As the final show in the tour, I can only assume that they will begin to outgrow these intimate venues going forward – they sold out three shows in both London and Edinburgh and have a stellar festival lineup this summer. This tour was a triumph.

Anna Drysdale

One look to Twitter on the day of Wolf Alice’s show in Birmingham told you everything you need to know about this band; tweet after tweet trying to grab any potential tickets for the final show of the group’s Blue Weekend tour. Wolf Alice have always been a band I’ve been desperate to see live, and I can say for certain the acclaimed ‘Best Group’ at this year’s BRIT awards lived up to every expectation.

Catching the last of Glaswegian support act Lucia & The Best Boys the crowd was ecstatic. The final breath of one of their most popular songs ‘Perfectly Untrue’ raised a thunder of applause. By this point the Academy was packed from wall to wall with people trying to grab a glimpse of the stage as it neared closer to nine o’clock.

If the applause for Lucia & The Best Boys was thunder, this was a full-on storm

The hum of a guitar rang through the room as the lights went down, the first note of a bewitchingly exhilarating set. The hum cascaded into the musical explosion that is the opening of ‘Smile’ as the band appeared gripping guitar and drumstick. If the applause for Lucia & The Best Boys was thunder, this was a full-on storm. Lead singer Ellie Rowsell transitioned seamlessly between the song’s powerful verse to the rising harmony-like note of the chorus. It was a magnetic opening and the energy of the crowd made that clear. The lights turned red to introduce the next string of tracks, ‘Delicious Things’ with its enchanting melody had the crowd swaying, but one of the most mesmerising songs of the night had to be ‘Bros’ from their 2015 album My Love is Cool. The audience was dynamic and hearing the instrumentals of the track live seemed otherworldly.

Slowing down the pace the band turned to the acoustically driven ‘Safe from Heartbreak’ as Rowsell’s vocals shone through over the gentle plucking of guitarist Joff Oddie. The connection between the group and their audience was unmistakable as the crowd sang out. The tone of the evening turned quickly back to the band’s well-known rock hits including ‘Visions of a Life’ and ‘Play the Greatest Hits.’ Under strobe lighting drinks were flying, the crowd was moshing, and the room was completely taken over with intense energy.

There was a strong feeling of solidarity between the group and the audience as the song began, the whole performance was magic

Following a raging applause, the band returned once more for the greatly anticipated performance of ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses,’ an anthem to crush culture and Wolf Alice’s success as a band. There was a strong feeling of solidarity between the group and the audience as the song began, the whole performance was magic. No one was ready to hear the final note of the show, it was an exceptional end to an incredible tour.