There is often a buzz about an artist’s debut album, and with Wolf Alice, that buzz was huge. For months, the last few years even, people had been patiently waiting for My Love Is Cool, and to celebrate its release the North London four-piece took to various record stores to perform small gigs to launch the album.
I was sceptical of Wolf Alice; I wasn’t sure if all the hype was worth it, I wasn’t sure if they would get anywhere. However, a brisk half-hour set soon changed my mind. Fronted by Ellie Rowsell, the band’s performance was electrifying, as they tore through the biggest tracks from My Love Is Cool, including ‘Fluffy’, ‘Giant Peach’, and current single ‘Bros’.
My Love Is Cool has received rave reviews and there’s a high chance it could hit number one in the album charts later this week; a feat completely understandable with an energetic live show sure to win over any fence sitters. The chemistry between the four on stage is evident and they’ve spent the last few years touring with the likes of Peace, Swim Deep, The 1975 and Alt-J.
Throughout the set it is clear that not only do they love being on stage, but they were meant to be there; from the first riff they had the audience right where they wanted them. And it can’t be easy, this was the bands second stop of the day after covering Years & Years’ ‘Desire’ in the Live Lounge for BBC Radio One just hours earlier.
To put it frankly, Wolf Alice brought chaos to Rough Trade East, a record shop which hosts small, intimate gigs for bands launching new albums. The volume was turned up to eleven, there were mosh pits, and there was even crowd surfing thanks to bassist Theo Ellis.
If this is what Wolf Alice can do in an intimate setting, it doesn’t bare thinking about what they can do at a festival or at the Guildhall in Southampton as part of their tour later this year.
Tickets for Wolf Alice’s Autumn tour are available here.
