Wolf Alice @ Doornroosje, Nijmegen, February 13, 2023
The chameleon-like mood swings didn't quite convince this spectator
Some of you might wonder that the guy who posts “Best Metal Videos of All Time1” is reviewing a shoegaze2 band. Why? I think because music genres have become more fluid, and my taste is slowly becoming more catholic. I chanced upon Wolf Alice via a raving review in The Guardian which embedded the video “The Last Man on Earth” of their latest album called Blue Weekend. I went to Youtube to check out more, starting with the opening song “The Beach”. I loved that song, which has a moody, tension-building crescendo not unlike those in several songs of fellow British band Rolo Tomassi in their Where Myth Becomes Memory album3.
So I checked out the band via Youtube—Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming services don’t quite work for me because their catalog isn’t quite as complete as they’d like to think4—and I found that they made a separate video for each song of their last album, each video reflecting that particular song’s mood5. I was impressed and liked most of the songs, so bought the album and subsequently a ticket to their show in Doornroosje in Nijmegen (which is right next to the train station, which makes going there very easy).
The show was on a Friday night, the gig was sold out, so both the band and the audience were in for a good time. In general, the show was very energetic, the band effortlessly switched between very different moods and the audience—especially the fans up front—was enthusiastic. The same enthusiasm, though, didn’t carry over to me.
The band who made such interesting mood videos was rather straightforward live, not using any of that material. Maybe it’s a matter of too high expectations, or of mismatched musical sensibilities—most probably both, but the chameleon-like mood swings throughout the set without the accompanying shifts in lighting or presentation didn’t quite convince this spectator. Despite the band being consummate professionals. Despite frontwoman Ellie Rowsell radiating charisma like a siren. Why?
Maybe because the contrast between the light show—mainly purplish-blueish backlights against a curtain occasionally cut through by white spotlights—and the song material was too big. Not sure if this was intentional—same-ish light show backing diverse songs—or a matter of finances (tours can be expensive for British bands after Brexit). Maybe because I was watching it, rather analytically6, from the very backside of the venue (that happened to be in front of the bar7). That doesn’t mean the show was bad, but that it didn’t quite work for me. I’m sure the fans—and most of the audience—had a great time. Unfortunately, I wasn’t convinced.
Due to familiarity the tracks of Blue Weekend made the strongest impression on me, while I did miss the album’s intro- and outro songs (“The Beach” and “The Beach II”), which I really like a lot. Summarising, this show just wasn’t for me. I sometimes check out bands I don’t know very well and that are out of my musical comfort zone. Sometimes this leads to an interesting discovery, sometimes it doesn’t work (for me). And the only way to find out is to go.
As always, YMMV. Next gig review (this time hopefully in the month that I planned it) Rolo Tomassi in the Willem 2, Den Bosch (my home town).
Setlist:
Smile (Blue Weekend)
You’re a Germ (My Love is Cool)
Formidable Cool (Visions of a Life)
Delicious Things (Blue Weekend)
Lipstick on the Glass (Blue Weekend)
St. Purple & Green (Visions of a Life)
Space & Time (Visions of a Life)
Bros (My Love is Cool)
Safe from Heartbreak (If You Never Fall in Love) (Blue Weekend)
How Can I Make It OK? (Blue Weekend)
Play the Greatest Hits (Blue Weekend)
Silk (My Love is Cool)
Feeling Myself (Blue Weekend)
Lisbon (My Love is Cool)
Visions of a Life (Visions of a Life)
The Last Man on Earth (Blue Weekend)
Giant Peach (My Love is Cool)
Encores:
Moaning Lisa Smile (My Love is Cool)
Don’t Delete the Kisses (Visions of a Life)
Author’s note: I planned to feature this review in August, but I missed that deadline. My sincere apologies. I’ve set up several publishing schedules with the intention of keeping them, but I do, at times slip. Still, these help to keep me focussed. And I think 92 posts (and counting) in 9 months isn’t too shabby. Spread the word if you want to help this writer, and many thanks for reading!
Top Ten to start in October, so stay tuned!
Although they’re also accused of ‘grunginess’;
But then differently;
This old music geezer has many albums that are featured on neither, so when I made a playlist for my novel “The Three Reflectors of Consensual Reality” on my desktop (I’m still busy uploading most of my CD collection), I found that Apple Music (I got a 6 month free sub due to my airpods pro which I’m trying out, and I’m not impressed—with Apple Music, that is) didn’t have 6 of the 9 songs of that playlist;
The album was recorded before the Covid-19 epidemic and subsequent shutdowns, so they made good use of the downtime (see also footnote number 7);
Some will say ‘anally’ or anal-retentively’;
Every disadvantage has its advantage, as Johan Cruyff would say;