Review | Wolf Alice at O2 Guildhall, Southampton: 'Well worth the wait'

Between singing lines she pauses to pose with one hand on her head, her back arched, the spotlight on her, and the audience roars.

It’s a small thing, but it shows how far this band have come – and how Rowsell really is a fully-fledged Rockstar now.

Whether she’s got the guitar strapped on or has put it down, allowing her to roam the stage, Rowsell really is the focal point of the band. She has that indefinable star quality that elevates them comfortably from the indie-rock masses.

Over the course of various EPs and three albums Wolf Alice have not so quietly become one of our biggest and best rock bands.

Indeed, their recent win for Best British Band at this year’s Brit Awards was entirely justified.

The set unsurprisingly draws heavily on their most recent album, the chart-topping Blue Weekend. However, there’s still time for plenty of other gems.

It's nice to hear Moaning Lisa Smile still makes the cut – 160 seconds of heavy-riffing post-grunge perfection, it was the lead track on one of those early EPs.

But it proved to be a bit of a red-herring for anyone guessing where their music would head next.

Yes, they can still riff with the best of them, but as tonight’s gig demonstrates, they have plenty more tools at their disposal.

Set opener, Smile, from Blue Weekend is part of a fierce opening salvo that cannily draws on all three albums – You’re a Germ (from debut album My Love is Cool) and Formidable Cool (from 2017’s Mercury Prize-winning Visions of a Life.)

Delicious Things provides a change of pace, while Safe From Heartbreak (If You Never Fall in Love) shows the raw emotion they’re capable of.

It’s not just The Ellie Show though – I’ve not seen anyone as happy in their work as bassist Theo Ellis since I last saw Shonen Knife when their drummer beamed from ear-to-ear for the duration of their set. And by god does his bass hit hard – I don’t know if it’s just where I’m stood in the sold-out throng, but I can feel it as much as hear it for most of the set.

His partner in rhythm Joel Amey can also pack a mighty punch when needed.

And guitarist Joff Oddie exudes cool over on stage right.

Although there’s no room for blistering former single Yuk Foo, perhaps it is displaced by Blue Weekend’s Play The Greatest Hits, which is a deliciously furious punk blast.

No Hard Feelings has just guitarist Joff, Ellie and touring keys player Ryan Malcolm breaking things down, lulling us into a false sense of security before the main set finishes with the epic Giant Peach.

Blue Weekend’s slow-building piano-led lead single The Last Man on Earth earns its place as the first encore before they finish on the sublime dream-pop of one of Vision’s finest moments, Don’t Delete The Kisses.

It’s a well-crafted set that highlights the depth and breadth of Wolf Alice’s talents, and the packed Guildhall eats it up.

As with so many tours of late this was delayed by the pandemic, but it was oh so worth the wait.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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