Wolf Alice, Auckland NZ, 2018

Wolf Alice

30th September 2018
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.

Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Doug Peters.

Tonight, the lioness roared and oh how glorious it truly was.

Having delivered an outstanding performance earlier in the year at Laneway and now winning the much-coveted Mercury Music Prize less than ten days ago, Auckland’s Powerstation was the place to be on a sun kissed Sunday evening as Wolf Alice flexed their indomitable musical muscle.

Setting the tone for the evening was Auckland’s own Miss June, fresh from their rather notable performance with The Beths just a couple of weeks ago; storming the stage they spewed sonic diesel from their innermost depths before self-immolating before the hundreds who bore witness. Led by lead vocalist and guitarist Annabel Liddell the four piece who include drum virtuoso Tom Leggett of Wax Chattels waste no time in getting down to business, smashing out ‘Two Hits’, ‘Scorpio’ and their latest single the fuzz infused ‘Twitch’.

Liddell is magnetic as she switches smoothly from guitar to just straight mic work, throwing the cord over her shoulder as if just another extension of her persona. She embodies the best qualities of all the greats, Harry, Jett and with those punky blonde locks a little Cherie Currie. Beside her guitarist Jun Park is a whirlwind of hair and strings, his grin communicating just exactly how much fun he is having on stage; his rapport with Liddell perfection as they play off of each other, Liddell at one point dropping to her knees and arching her spine as Park showered the stage with guitar driven goodness. Finishing their fast paced but fiercely intense set with the double header of ‘Aquarium’ and ‘Polio’ which Liddell informs all is a song about “trying to reason with unreasonable people” it is clear that Miss June are more than ready to take on bigger and brighter things.

Arriving on stage to a barrier heaving with fans straining to be just that one inch closer, Wolf Alice got straight down to business, a throbbing bass growing in intensity before breaking, the opening notes of ‘Your Loves Whore’ riding its crest and saturating the venue. ‘Yuk Foo’ is tailgated by the slithering ‘You’re A Germ’ a track that has as many twists as it does turns, which is half of the appeal of Wolf Alice as a band. Lead singer Ellie Rowsell herself looks almost maniacal, dressed in a white satin slip over black stockings and doc marten boots, her heavily black rimmed eyes gaze upon the fans from underneath ice blonde hair that is topped with a demure bow, the collocation of the pieces a visual representation of their sound. Flanked by lead guitarist Joff Odie who exudes a physical force like a tightly wound spring and Theo Ellis on bass who often appears to be having ten thousand volts of electricity poured through his body as he spasms on stage before grinning wildly at the audience, the threesome makes for a killer combination that anchors themselves to the frenetic drumming of Joel Amey.

Wolf Alice barely pause between tracks, the onslaught of music from this indie rock quartet welcomed with open souls by the audience before them. This is music that climbs inside you and wears your skin, giving voice to subconscious thoughts that never dared to be uttered while infusing the heart with a much-needed candour. Rowsell shifts easily from gentle caresses to the ferocity of a vengeful siren, her stage presence often resembling that of Crystal Castles Alice Glass.

While their set was unfortunately plagued with a few technical issues that at one point prompted Rowsell to abandon her guitar and instead climb out into the audience as she sang ‘Visions of a Life’ it was merely the tiniest of blips in an otherwise life-changing performance. Having the chance to witness a band of this sheer quality in a venue such as the Powerstation is indeed an experience that any disciple of the North London four could ever desire, Wolf Alice themselves wholeheartedly thanking the fans for all they had given back this evening.

With charisma that is intoxicating and teeth to match, Wolf Alice are set to tear a chunk out of the music industry that will not soon be forgotten.

Were you there at the Powerstation to check out this superlative alternative rock gig? Or have you seen Wolf Alice perform live some other time? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Wolf Alice Setlist:

1. Your Loves Whore
2. Yuk Foo
3. You’re A Germ
4. Don’t Delete The Kisses
5. St Purple & Green
6. Beautifully Unconventional
7. Formidable Cool
8. Planet Hunter
9. Lisbon
10. Silk
11. Bros
12. Sadboy
13. Space & Time
14. Visions Of A Life
15. Fluffy
16. Moaning Lisa Smile
17. Blush [encore]
18. Giant Peach [encore]

Miss June Setlist:

1. Two Hits
2. Scorpio
3. Twitch
4. Matriachy
5. Enemies
6. Orchid
7. Double Negative
8. Aquarium
9. Polio

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