Saturday 30 December 2017

1,064 WOLF ALICE, Sunflower Bean, Superfood, Southampton Guildhall, Tuesday 21st November 2017


My last (currently!) scheduled out-of-town gig of the year came in the shape of by-now gig “dance card” regulars Wolf Alice, young Ellie Rowsell and her spiky boy crew continuing their inexorable upwards trajectory with a very fine, if hardly groundbreakingly different, sophomore album in this year's "Visions Of A Life", and subsequent sell-out dates on both sides of the Atlantic. Their Bristol date came too close to “Shiiine On”, but I was happy to snap up a ticket for their later Southampton Guildhall gig, and return to the scene of Logan's onstage Bowling For Soup shenanigans!

Had a blustery drive down on this dark Autumn evening, and parked up dead on 7.30 around the corner from the venue. First band Superfood were already on, playing a bland rehash of 90's Britpop and 80's dull wine bar jazz funk. They'd lost me after their first album, which fulfilled approximately 0% of the initial promise displayed on their first Wolf Alice support slot back in 2014, and this insipid fayre did even less to tempt me back! Much better, however, were the main support, on at 8.25; "we're Sunflower Bean from New York City - let's have some fun!" announced petite blonde vocalist Julia Cumming, as opener "Burning To The Ground" impressed with a stompy new wave powerpop vibe recalling The Knack, and a rockier second number "Right Now" featured some racy guitar licks from curly bouffanted axeman Nick Kivlen, who at first glance appeared to be wearing lilac silk pyjamas! I enjoyed their breezy new material, which often tested Cumming's impressive vocal range, particularly the laconic NYC cool and melody of new single "I Was A Fool". Set closer "What Did You Do Today" featured an extended Doors "LA Woman"-like guitar workout, and overall this was a neat little set from a band whom I'd unfairly overlooked up to now. Pitching up midway between the CBGB’s garage growl cool of Ex Hex and the candy-stripe pop of Alvvays, it's time for a re-appraisal of Sunflower Bean, methinks...!

Took a wander around this packed venue, through the broad church that is the Wolf Alice crowd - old boys like myself, student types and loads of excited girls, one group brandishing a blow-up penis to hurl around in the mosh! The band themselves joined us at 9.30 with the minimum of fuss, tumbling into the dry ice, strobes and swirling Lush-isms of opener "Heavenward". Then it all got a bit punk rock, as the ferocious, venom-spitting double of the slightly trite "Yuk Foo" and more substantial "You're A Germ" initiated an enthusiastic young moshpit, the crowd already howling delightedly along to Rowsell's scalded banshee screams. We're off and running...

This was a consummate performance from a band quickly maturing before my very eyes. As "professional" as their current status and popularity requires, yet still with vim and venom aplenty; they're wearing the big boy/girl pants now, no messin’, and filling them out splendidly! Great to see some light and shade in the set too, with a pretty, pastoral "St. Purple And Green" segueing into the gorgeously ethereal hookline of "Don't Delete The Kisses"; and a later "Planet Hunter" possibly my set highlight, an oasis of calm amidst the frantic powerpop of the likes of "Bros" and "Lisbon", understated, haunting and recalling The Heart Throbs.

"The first place we played here [in Southampton] was The Joiners, now we're playing here which is fucking amazing!" remarked incredulous guitarist Theo Ellis before the tubthumping "Space And Time", a mid-song pregnant pause building feverish anticipation as he and bassist Joff Oddie brandished their instruments aloft. "Visions Of A Life" was an undulating, tempo changing creepy epic, the core section reminding these old ears of "Porcupine"-era Bunnymen, then the extended careering rollercoaster ride of "Fluffy" finished an  exciting and entirely fat-free 1 hour 5 set, extended by the subsequent encore of gossamer oldie "Blush" and a heavy-riffing, floor-shaking "Giant Peach" (the encore, curiously, being preceded by chants of "Oh Jeremy Corbyn" from the mosh massive!).


Great stuff again, topped by a list provided by the friendly soundman. A swift drive back got me home on the stroke of midnight, satisfied upon seeing Wolf Alice again bare their teeth impressively, and take another step towards their inevitable world domination. Well done people!

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