Live
Wolf Alice
02 Academy Brixton, London
December 19 2018
Words: Izzy Butler
Picture: Phoebe Richardson
Celebrating the end of a quite outstanding year, Wolf Alice, led by Ellie Rowsell, filled as much glorious visual Yuletide glitter with the pair of dressed Christmas trees and artificial snow, as a set of musical joy and pleasure into this first of two hometown sold out shows at London’s Brixton Academy.
As they kick off with single 'Yuk Foo' and 'You're a Germ', they barely pause for breath as they steam through a majestic set of 20 numbers before concluding with ‘Giant Peach’ and a singalong of Slade’s rousing ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’. Nestled in between they pull out a range of the spirited and energetic, to the poignant and stirring from their indie pop reservoir, largely from 'Visions of a Life'.
The delivery by the quartet - Rowsell, Joff Oddie, Theo Ellis and Joel Amey - works harmoniously in partnership throughout. On 'Bros' Rowsell effects her effortlessly clear vocal, as Oddie doubles up on Fender Jaguar and synth parts; drummer Joel Amey, meanwhile, holds tight at the back with a seamless flow of dexterous touches on 'Sky Musings', and also provides backing vocals, such as on 'Blush'. When it comes to 'Storms', Rowsell, Oddie and Ellis smile broadly as they skip in time to the rhythm, before the frontwoman comes into her own on the dreamy ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses', jumping down onto the floor to give the gleeful front rows some up-close-and-personal time, which is naturally greeted heartily by the party mood crowd.
By the time of the encore of 'Moaning Lisa Smile' and 'Giant Peach', the hitherto unlit Christmas trees on each side of the stage now are alight, as artificial snow falls from the Academy skies over the heads of those below. And as Noddy Holder's classic bounces off the walls, the end feels it has come all too soon; though for Wild Alice, this is undoubtedly just the start.
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