Photos & words by Samantha Blyn
On tour for their fourth studio album, The Clearing, Wolf Alice stopped at Philadelphia’s Union Transfer on September 15. The sold-out crowd spanned generations, and you could feel the anticipation on two levels: the British indie rock band hadn’t released an album since 2021’s Blue Weekend, and hadn’t headlined Philly since 2017. Opening act Willy Mason warmed up the audience with a laid-back set, priming the room for Wolf Alice to storm the stage.
Performing a well-rounded set of new tracks and older favorites, the band expertly guided the energy as they transitioned from slower songs to their more punk-inspired ones. For me, everything stopped when keyboardist Ryan Malcolm and drummer Joel Amey stepped out from behind their instruments to join lead vocalist Ellie Roswell in singing “Safe From Heartbreak.” This acoustic version with their beautiful harmonies highlighted the introspective lyrics.
A bit later, the band began to bring the energy back up with “Bread Butter Tea Sugar” off of The Clearing. The song’s steady groove got the crowd ready for another highlight, when Roswell sang “Yuk Foo” through a megaphone. From where I stood, everyone seemed to love this part, and the seamless transition into “Play the Greatest Hits” led to the most excitement from the crowd all night. The band was completely in sync with each other for the whole set, making for a compelling live show from beginning to end. During the final song, “Don’t Delete the Kisses”, bubbles blew out at the audience from a machine at the edge of the stage. Between this, the curtain of tinsel behind them, and the huge disco ball hanging from the ceiling, Wolf Alice left Philly on a high, grateful for their return.
Wolf Alice
Willy Mason
Wolf Alice’s North American tour continues through October 13, before they take The Clearing to Europe and the UK. Check out their complete schedule here.
Listen to Wolf Alice here!
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