Wolf Alice, Tues 11 March, Latitude 30, Austin, SXSW 2014

There was a real sense of excitement as Wolf Alice set up, bringing out huge boards of pedals, crunching guitars and pounding drums. During the set there were people filling the street outside Latitude 30, and afterwards there was a real sensation of having seen something special at the opening of the festival.

The sound check seemed to show the band cared about how they were going to sound, but without being too precious or antsy with the sound crew, which seemed to bode well for the set. When they launched into the first song, with grungey guitars and metal-influenced palm muting, they created a sound akin to Pavement or a more textured Hole or L7.

They played straight through most of the set so that it was not clear where one song ended and the next started, which worked really well, and there was great singing from the whole band, especially a top-notch falsetto from the drummer. He was really great throughout the set and seemed to be the centre of many of the songs and driving the songs dynamics and shifts.

The band created a real range of sounds using effects pedals, some really effective structural dynamics in the songs, and some jumpy and skitterish rhythms. It was refreshing to hear a new band create a wide range of atmospheres without changing instruments every other song.

When the band played "Bros" 10 minutes into the set, they created a great pop moment in the middle of their rocking-out set. Their less grungey song about "punch drunk love" created an enveloping cloud of sound with ethereal vocals. It different from their heavier sounding stuff and promising of being more than a one trick pony.

What a great start to SXSW 2014!

Other SXSW 2014 show reviews from Broken Biscuit Records:
Pins
Two Cow Garage
Jesse Malin
Sweet Baboo
Family Folk Revival