Wolf Alice were always destined to end up here. The fact they’ve persevered through many an indie boom-and-bust cycle has always worked in their favour, not to mention the measurable growth that’s facilitated it. Wolf Alice’s evolution has always put them in a notably higher starter than their festival-reliable compatriots. Compare the rough, ramshackle indie-grunge of their earliest work to the alt-pop luxury of this year’s album The Clearing—achieved while dodging any dreaded ‘sellout’ accusations—and it’s not hard to justify such a rise. And as a clear-cut way to smash the stigma of alt-rock’s immovability, their first headlining arena run couldn’t make their intentions more apparent. The newer, shinier Co-Op Live would probably be the preferred giant Manchester room to kick the tour off, but seeing as that’s being clogged up by Bad Omens at present, the AO will have to do.
Plus, you can’t fault the effort they’ve put into doing the place up. The opportunity for a bigger stage show has presented itself a time when Wolf Alice are the most accustomed they’ve ever been to taking advantage of it. The shimmery, tinselled backdrop and stage rigging feel implemented with a pseudo-Golden Age elegance and gloss in mind, and the perfect shorthand for the direction skewed in with The Clearing. It’s by far Wolf Alice’s cleanest and most lavish work to date, and the gloss with which its cut Thorns is adorned to open sets an effortless bar for this live era. A statuesque Ellie Rowsell sings at the rear of the stage, elevated, spotlit and cloaked in the dream-pop swirl. Later, the descended disco ball is a nice bow to place on the swaying, swooning Just Two Girls, and the bird’s-eye shot of Rowsell lounging on a turntable during The Sofa feels especially tapped into this aesthetic and theme.
All the while, Wolf Alice really do feel bigger and more accomplished than ever. Again, it’s a consequence of development that’s well-shown here, to the extent where the wind machine to accentuate Rowsell’s extravagance every time she ventures onto the stage’s outcrop isn’t overkill in the slightest. The enormity is earned, and clearly valued if a song like How Can I Make It OK? is anything to go by. If crowd reception is an indicator, this is the lynchpin of the Wolf Alice live experience, as lush indie-pop morphs on and on until it becomes a true arena-giant. Although not quite as fervent, there’s a similar prickle in the air with Bros’ jubilant, oversized pop-rock, and the scratchy guitar of You’re A Germ that’s the loosest Wolf Alice are liable to get these days. Of course, there’s never a dead moment with this crowd; you’ll always spot at least a pocket of tangible energy, regardless of what’s going on. They even set off a sea of phone lights unprompted on Play It Out and The Last Man On Earth, Rowsell getting notably emotional each time.
It’s worth noting how tight and well-constructed the set is as a whole, too. Dips in quality are pretty much nonexistent; in momentum, they’re placed exactly where they need to be. There’s not a filler cut to be found or a makeweight placed out of obligation; it really is that focused. And it can be legitimately suprising to see this all converge so well, given the breadth of sounds that Wolf Alice have cultivated and refuse to ignore. You might expect a cut like Yuk Foo to be excised from this sleeker incarnation, but it’s leaned into, if anything. Police sirens blare; lights flash an overbearing clash of red and blue; the overhead rig lowers to further enhance the claustrophobia; and with Rowsell blaring through a megaphone and a raging guitar tone bordering on noise-rock, it’s an alien moment next to anything else. But it’s also never out of place, or clumsy in an unflattering way. If anything, it’s proof that Wolf Alice do still hold a reverence for music like this, despite moving so far away from it. It’s a similar case with the pair of Giant Peach and Smile—Rowsell dons a leather jacket as the visual representation of their bricked-out, granite-hewn garage-rock.
Above all else, though, this is about Wolf Alice pulling out every pop stop in their arsenal. There’s an almost intangible quality that permeates through light, luxurious moments, and it’s easily the band’s arena-ready selves are most prevalent. The kick of oomph as Just Two Girls’ solo peels out; the reposed alt-pop groove of Safe In The World; the Oasis-esque Bread Butter Tea Sugar, fitted with an extra alt-rock chug and star-shaped spotlight; all of these feel indicative of band looking to chase their grandest yet most measured impulses. And you know what? You can see the experience that Wolf Alice have at play, because they totally get there. They’re an arena band through and through now, and given how they present themselves, it’s not even up for debate. It was always a case of when, not if, and seeing it play out like this makes it all the richer.
Words by Luke Nuttall
Photos by Will Robinson (Instagram)
