Coast to coast with Wolf Alice

2 years ago

New York photos by Lucy Blumenfield. Seattle photos by Lauren Khalfayan.

Not that playing several hundred to 1000 cap venues nationwide is a small feat, but Wolf Alice’s catalog demands them to be an even more massive band. Their dynamic range twists and twirls from track to track — Ellie Rowsell’s sweetness and screams swapping center stage in equal measure. Their most famous track “Don’t Delete The Kisses” is almost a trojan horse of sorts. It has all the heart of the band, but with a more consistent pop exterior. I think that’s one of the best songs of all time and don’t fault it. It is just infinitely fascinating to seem the band oscillate between and seamlessly meld all their varying styles and influences into a captivating hour long set. Few acts can bring an entire crowd silent in rapt attention to erupt only moments later with the simple switch of a track.

Wolf Alice’s variation of styles is seen across their discography from the beginning and continuing through their latest record Blue Weekend. They have maintained that same stylistic breadth with the support acts they choose to join them on the road — often leaning more punk that the band would appear to be on first glance. Crows, a punk band from the UK, joined them for part of this North America run, while they also had Luna Li, a more psych-pop leaning artist, join them for the other to fulfill that creative duality.