Showbox at the Market // Seattle, WA // Oct. 25, 2021
Photos and review by Rachael Dowd
Wolf Alice made their long-awaited return to Seattle in style last month. They kicked off their headlining U.S. tour in the Emerald City, bringing their new songs off of Blue Weekend with them.
As a band with three full-length albums under their belt, creating a setlist that features old favorites and new hits is always a balancing act. Wolf Alice, however, offered a versatile, stacked set of performances that represented where they started and where they are now.
They introduced themselves to the sold-out venue with “Smile,” the gritty single from Blue Weekend. From the start of the show, it was clear just how thrilled the members of Wolf Alice were to finally be back onstage stateside.
From bassist Theo Ellis’ captivating stage presence to guitarist Joff Oddie and drummer Joel Amey’s strong, fine-tuned musicianship, Wolf Alice reminded the crowd why they continue to be one of the most talked-about Brit rock bands right now.
As for vocalist Ellie Rowsell, Blue Weekend showcases her impeccably powerful vocals that only seemed to improve over the four years since the band’s Mercury Prize-winning album Visions of a Life.
Onstage, however, Rowsell solidified herself as a force to be reckoned with in rock music, mesmerizing the crowd with a vocal range that spanned from controlled falsettos in “The Last Man On Earth” to raspy shrills in “Giant Peach” and “Play The Greatest Hits.”
To close out the 18-song setlist, Wolf Alice treated the crowd to two old favorites. The first – “Moaning Lisa Smile” – is the guitar-heavy track that helped put Wolf Alice on the music map nearly seven years ago. The second – “Don’t Delete The Kisses” – is a tongue-twister of a fan favorite that remains one of their most popular (and beloved) tracks to date.
A few years may have gone by since Wolf Alice last hit up Seattle while stateside. However, the sold-out crowd’s sheer enjoyment and excitement to see the quartet bring My Love Is Cool, Visions Of A Life, and, now, Blue Weekend classics to life onstage was proof enough that the London band will always have a hoard of fans knocking on Seattle venue doors next time they decide to travel through.
