It has been three years since their last UK tour and Wolf Alice are Bloom, Baby, Bloomin’ back for their final UK night and penultimate night of the EU tour.
Words by Jackie Mills | Dec 11, 2025
I saw Wolf Alice on their last visit to Nottingham at Rock City in 2022 and I have been eager for their return ever since, ready to experience a night of haunting glitz and indie rock glamour. What better way to close out my year of gigs than to close out the UK dates with one of my favourite bands in the indie-rock scene.
Opening up for the evening was Canadian singer Bria Salmena. I was instantly captivated by her distinctive gritty, raw vocals paired with the beats and rhythms from her band, bringing to life the true alt-indie vibes of her song writing. We were treated to an acapella moment, stunning the audience into truly appreciating Bria’s vast vocal range. As a flourishing singer- songwriter, Bria released her striking debut album Big Dog in March 2025. One to watch and give a listen to if you’re looking for a taste of that smokey indie-grunge.
Next up on stage was the three piece band from New York – Sunflower Bean. Playing a set comprising songs from their newly released album Mortal Primetime, the band has a unique sound shifting styles from indie rock to power pop with 80s style guitar riffs and power vocals. Frontwoman Julia Cumming regularly interacted with the crowd and for a slower number requested torches for their final UK tour date. The trio were overwhelmed as the arena filled up with fireflies as the soft, grungy chic sounds played out. Sunflower Bean are certainly one to catch if you’re in the market for a dynamic high energy performance.
After a brief gap to allow the stage set up (cue crowd cheers for the unveiling of the tinsel soaked set) it was time for the much anticipated main event. Making a grand entrance through the glittering tinsel curtain, the band melt into the album opening track Thorns. Ellie’s stunning vocals are backed by the band’s keys and strings as the audience sways in rhythm. Immediately followed up by the lead single from The Clearing, the piano kicks in with those opening notes of Bloom Baby Bloom. The audience is singing every word as Ellie serenades and brings her stage performance front and centre.
As if there wasn’t enough glitz and glam on stage already, it was time for the giant disco ball to drop for the next songs to truly bring the 80s glam vibe the band do so well. The set list perfectly transitions across new album songs into fan favourite How Can I Make It OK? which sees the crowd chanting along in unison with Ellie. The audience all join arms and sway as the fuzzy guitars kick start Bros. I am solo in a crowd of friends, couples, families but the love is there in the audience. I don’t feel alone as I belt out “I’m so lucky, you are my best friend”. One thing I truly adore about music is the magic and unity that can be found in lyrics and songs. On that topic, have you ever heard an arena of thousands of people screaming “you f**ked with my feelings” at the top of their lungs? Because that’s exactly what the band created as they stood centre stage for “Safe From Heartbreak”. Not only was that an incredibly cathartic experience, but hearing the harmonies of Ellie, Joel and Ryan was mesmerising as they blend so effortlessly together.
A brief interlude as Ellie disappears off stage only to burst back on to police sirens, screaming pure female rage as she spits out “Yuk Foo” through a mega phone. I am honestly in awe as it dawns on me that I am watching one of the most inspiring power house front women in our music industry right now. To effortlessly transcend from guttural screams into the haunting sounds of Silk and back into the atmospheric textures of indie rock classic Smile, Wolf Alice and the audience are one being, and the ethereal feeling in the audience is one that will stay with you for a long time after the band leaves the stage.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t emotional as the band’s encore begins with The Last Man on Earth. The piano melodies, the meaning behind the lyrics and Ellie’s voice of a siren had me on the verge of tears as I appreciated being in the moment with the band and the fans. The set closes with what I consider to be one of the greatest love songs of our generation Don’t Delete The Kisses, the perfect end to the perfect set list.
I cannot emphasise enough how stunning the performance has been from the entire band and if Ellie is not already on your radar, catch up, she is without a doubt one of the most iconic talents we have in the music scene right now. Wolf Alice are a band that has grown from playing the Bodega, to Rock City, to now be headlining an arena tour and I can say as one of their many adoring fans, it is so good to have them back and The Clearing is a top tier addition to their music catalogue.
Leave a Reply