Photo: WENN
“It’s so good to be home” exclaimed Ellie Rowsell as Wolf Alice bounded on stage for the final – and largest – date of their May-spanning UK-wide tour at Scala, London.
With an enthusiasm befitting a homecoming gig – and the glam and sparkle of matching eye make-up to boot – the band who ended 2013 as the most blogged about act in the UK launched straight into a double-whammy of latest single, 'Moaning Lisa Smile', and semi-old favourite, 'She'.
The confidence to get those two belters out of their locker early said much for a band that are still widely-regarded as “ones to watch”. Rowsell’s high and loud vocals – perhaps the band’s biggest weapon – didn’t strain but stood-out amidst the ascending grunge of Joel Amey on drums, guitarist Joff Oddie and Theo Ellis on bass and were then equally affecting when hitting those tenderer moments on 'Blush'; the contrast in styles is already a definite hallmark of Wolf Alice’s overall sound.
As the elegant and haunting opening line “curse the things that made me sad for so long” sounded over the solo guitar, 'Blush' segued seamlessly into Chris Isaak’s 'Wicked Game' two-thirds of the way through to provide an unexpected highlight of the evening. But highlights weren't short in coming and the sentimental 'Bros' closed the set to be followed immediately by cries of “we want more”.
From a band just over a year young with only two EPs to their name and a debut album not slated for release until 2015, the all-killer 45 minute set was eventually brought to an end with the song that first shot them into recognition; the crashing and burning of debut physical release 'Fluffy'. Cue stage dives and pandemonium among band and home-faithful. As Rowsell noted halfway through, whoever said London crowds just stood still was, indeed, lying.
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