Amelia Cropley
Whilst no stranger to Nottingham’s music scene, Wolf Alice made their performance debut at Motorpoint Arena. The alternative, indie rock quartet from London are fast approaching the end of their tour, with Nottingham being the last UK date and penultimate show overall. And it was clear; Wolf Alice wanted their tour to have the grandest ending of all.
The first opening act, Bria Salemena, opened the night with a glorious pop-rock-esque genre, matching the vibe of Wolf Alice admirably. As seats filled, the Toronto singer sang many records from her new album Big Dog, including rock standouts like the opening ‘Drastic’ or ‘Raddison’ further along in her set alongside sadder, yet still strong, singles like ‘Water Memory’.
As the seats filled in the Motorpoint area, Salmena’s magnifyingly deep and raspy tone drew fans in as her sound reverberated around the stadium – especially when performing a very similar vibe to that of the headlining act.
And I can confirm, their DJ set was not to be missed.
Halfway through their set, lead singer and bassist Julia Cummings stopped one of their songs for a quick but heartfelt thank you and to applaud Bria and Wolf Alice alike: “Thank you for being here and supporting live music”, she said, but the audience thanked them louder with their applause. Inviting the stadium back to The Bodega for their after-party and DJ set, their night was not stopping with their act. And I can confirm, their DJ set was not to be missed. Set in the cosy downstairs Bodega bar, the trio took turns DJ-ing, chatting with fans and celebrating live music further in a location Wolf Alice played when they first began in 2013.
But back to the end of their Motorpoint set, they turned to slower songs like ‘I knew Love’, where they advised torches to be put into the air and dancing to ensue (Nottingham, of course, obliged). The torch lights however felt very fitting as the love ‘shined on me’ they sang. But even in these softer singles, there was not a moment for a guitar riff and a head bang; finishing their set with instruments above their heads and the crowd going wild.
But the end of their set meant we only had one more to go, one sure to be filled with electric energy and a glittery, shimmery set like I had never seen before. Opening their set with ‘Thorns’, lead singer Ellie Rowsell remained at the back of the stage for the opening number, easing the eager crowd into their voltaic next couple of hours.
Leading on into ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’, ‘White Horses’ and ‘Formidable Cool’, they were just that. Cool, with an envious rock-like ease. Often, with the band’s drummer, Joel Ames, singing simultaneously to keep the beat of the whole arena.
With their sets too, the motif of stars bounced around the room, from the star-shaped silver ribbon-like backdrop that reflected every light in the room, to the star-pointed shaped stage, dangling lights and hair clips of the girls around me, this added to the glitz and glamour of the event, and that was before the mirror ball was lowered for ‘Just Two Girls’. Even their shadows against the Hollywood-themed backdrop gave the most effortless appeal.
With songs like ‘Leaning Against The Wall’ and ‘The Sofa’, slower tunes with a new energy were released into the atmosphere, but they were received very well with slow dancing and awe. However, these two were broken up by a personal favourite of mine, ‘How Can I Make It Ok?’, a loud, upbeat anthem between two more poignant moments. ‘How Can I Make It OK?’ Got those who were not already on their feet up, and everyone shouting the chorus back to the singers.
Nottingham has watched this band grow into the success they have become over the years.
But as I said, whilst this was Wolf Alice’s first performance at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena, they are no strangers to Nottingham, just like Nottingham is no stranger to them. They return to the biggest venue in Nottingham after being support acts at Rescue Rooms, performing at Rock City and The Bodega, and even participating in the 2014 Dot-to-Dot line-up. Nottingham has watched this band grow into the success they have become over the years. And midway through the set, this did not go forgotten as bassist Theo Ellis gave personal gratitude to The Bodega and Rock City, highlighting that performing at those venues only makes their Nottingham appearance on the tour that much more special.
What was before rock, then turned a lot heavier (and we were all the more for it). Like the combination of ‘Giant Peach’ and ‘Smile’, where the latter’s title flashed on the big screens in blinding neon letters.
After tricking us in the audience that bowing and exiting the stage after ‘The Last Man On Earth’ meant the show was over, the lights remained on, and people remained still until the band returned for one final song. “This last song is about love – and I love you”, Ellie said in her parting words before possibly the most nostalgic of their set was performed, ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’.
I have been to many concerts and gigs, and each one I say was better than the last, but Wolf Alice, you topped the charts. A little bit for everyone: nostalgic, heavy rock, indie vibes, electric guitars, and the sign of a true rockstar – Ellie pouring her water bottle over her head – ties the night together perfectly. It seemed to me that the band were not only so excited to finish their tour with a bang, but to celebrate in a city that arguably is one of the places they started out. And it is safe to say, Nottingham is always there to welcome back old friends, and with a performance like that, I hope it is not too long until next time.
Amelia Cropley
Featured image courtesy of Vishnu R. Nair from Unsplash. Permission to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
In-article image 1 courtesy of Amelia Cropley. Permission to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
In-article image 2 courtesy of Wolf Alice via Spotify. No changes were made to these images.
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