The only thing you normally hear on a wet, October Sunday night in The Lanes is the odd rattling of cutlery in a restaurant or a sporadic dog bark. Heading down to Kensington Gardens this weekend this was not the case, with one of the UK’s most exciting and thought-provoking bands playing a stripped down set to support the release of their new record in the small confines of Resident Records.

Currently Brightonsfinest album of the week, Visions of a Life shows Wolf Alice and now truly comfortable with their identity. Ellie Rowsell’s lyrics capture the excitement and concern of being a millennial in this day and age, under the backdrop of astonishing instrumental work that transcends a variety of genres.

The band were in Brighton to recapture their earlier days for the five song set. Rowsell and guitarist Joff Oddie did indeed begin as an acoustic act before finally deciding to add electric elements to their sound and the subsequent self-titled EP.

All four were sat positioned on the cash desk of the shop and kicked proceedings off with ‘Sadboy’- a track about depression and anxiety which really cut to the core in this condensed setting without the rumbling bassline as seen on the recorded version.

The audience of the packed room jostled for a good view as the band then went into another new album track ‘Space & Time’. Listening to the album, you’d think this rock stomper would have been the last song they’d have picked to play in an acoustic setting, but it somehow worked perfectly with Rowsell delicate vocals really coming to the fore.

Possibly the band’s most famous and cherished track ‘Bros’ then came along. Originally an acoustic track in its initial stages, it still cuts at the heartstrings with its everlasting sentiments about childhood antics with the best of friends. The first song she ever wrote, her ode to childhood friendship was perfectly accompanied by Oddie's infectious guitar melody, with the song gaining one of the biggest reactions of the evening.

‘Beautifully Unconventional’ soon followed and the track that celebrates individuality was possibly the only weak point in the set failing to translate as well with its solid groove absent. The beautifully paced, sweet and slow-burning ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses’ then finished off the evening in dizzyingly romantic fashion. A tale of of unspoken love and intense emotion, you could really feel every line as the acoustic guitar, bass and electric drums built up into the final epic crescendo that led to the crowd demanding an encore.

Wolf Alice’s open mic circuit days are now behind them but they’ve still retained the ability to master delicate, poignant love songs in a stripped back setting.

Paul Hill

Website: wolfalice.co.uk
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