Wolf Alice performing their The Clearing Tour at The Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Monday 8th December 2025.

Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

English rock band Wolf Alice thundered into Nottingham on Monday night to entertain a sold out crowd at the Motorpoint Arena, and their commanding stage presence was an absolute pleasure to behold.

This arena tour is to celebrate the release of their fourth studio album, The Clearing, and is a culmination of a career spent putting in the hours which has resulted in a number of music accolades with even this latest album earning them their fourth Mercury nod.

After the band took their place on stage, front woman Ellie Rowsell burst from behind a dazzling wall of metallic streamers and opened with Thorns, an opulent piano led new song which immediately had the crowd’s attention. Bloom Baby Bloom was followed by White Horse which saw drummer Joel Amey take the lead vocals and Rowsell joining him for a dreamy harmonic duet.

With Joff Oddie’s textured guitar playing, Theo Ellis’ bass rhythm lines, Joel Amey’s precision drumming and the addition of their tour mate Ryan Malcolm on keys, they all serviced Rowsells captivating vocals as Formidable Cool slinked in with lots of swagger before Just Two Girls lifted everything to another level.

A particular stand out of the early half was Bros, an emotional song about friendship. You’re A Germ blasted in before the tender Safe From Heartbreak (If You Never Fall In Love) saw the band leaving the crowd to vocally step in. The delicate Leaning Against The Wall was gorgeously skippy with its acoustic riffs swirling around the Arena, before the sirens of Yuk Foo grabbed the crowd.

Play It Out stripped everything back but the tempo was upped as Giant Peach exploded, clearing the path for main set closer Smile, where the crowd screamed out every word, making the energy turn electric.

After twenty songs highlighting a decade of Wolf Alice’s shape shifting catalogue, the encore pulled everything together. The Arena was filled with glittering phone lights for the delicate twinkling ivories of The Last Man On Earth and finally Don’t Delete The Kisses, their biggest song to date, arrived in a rush causing the crowd to become one delirious and euphoric giant voice.

With their impressive accolades and cult following, along with their musical ability to back it all up, Wolf Alice has one hell of a well earned reputation and this performance showed exactly why.

Wolf Alice performing their The Blue Weekend Tour at Rock City Nottingham on Sunday 27 February 2022.

Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

Sunday night saw a packed Rock City crowd welcome this year’s Brit winners for the Best UK Band and Wolf Alice did not disappoint.

Drawing from their back catalogue, the set list featured tracks from their critically acclaimed debut album My Love Is Cool, the Mercury Award winning Visions Of A Life, and their latest album Blue Weekend as they drifted with ease between their grunge, indie, melodic, pop and hard rock songs, which saw them being consistently brilliant.

Opening with Smile, Ellie Rowsell’s versatile vocals worked overtime as she snarled, screamed and grunted out the rage filled vocals to the crowds delight. You’re A Germ incited very early mosh pits amongst the capacity crowd before the delightful country love song, Delicious Things saw them all swaying in tune.

The thrashing punk song Play The Greatest Hits complete with its howling vocals came before the melodic Feeling Myself which simply captivated the crowd.

The prog rock inspired Planet Hunter was followed with Bros, a sparkling infectiously poppy single from their early days, whilst their latest single the lovesick ballad Safe From Heartbreak (If You Never Fall In Love) showcased Rowsell’s enchanting emotional range.

With Theo Ellis not missing a beat on drums, Joel Amey leading on guitar and Joff Oddie backing up on bass Wolf Alice were compelling from start to finish in a thunderous show which included new songs No Hard Feelings and the gorgeous How Can I Make It Okay? before they finished their main set with the frantic fans favourite, Giant Peach.

An encore saw the crowd absolutely spellbound with The Last Man On Earth and the spine tingling Don’t Delete The Kisses which just served to prove that Wolf Alice are most certainly one of the hottest bands around who are at the very top of their game.

Later this summer they will be supporting Harry Styles in stadiums across Europe, followed by playing just before Artic Monkeys at this year’s Reading and Leeds Festivals. Wolf Alice cannot continue to play these smaller venues because it cannot be denied that they are probably one of the best bands around.

Wolf Alice performing their Visions Of A Life Tour at Rock City Nottingham on Wednesday 15th November 2017.

Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

Wolf Alice are currently on a headline tour supporting their latest album, Visions Of A Life and last night they showcased it to a packed Rock City. They initially formed as a folk led acoustic duo in 2010 after seeing an advert in a music paper, and soon after they recruited two more members before finally releasing their debut album, My Love Is Cool in 2015. The recognition that they so richly deserve quickly followed with a Mercury Prize. Grammy and Brit nominations followed so too did the NME award for the Best Live Band and last night it was easy to see why.

As the four piece band hit the stage, they immediately set the tone for the evening ahead with a pair of tracks from their latest offering. Kicking off with their incredible single, Heavenward, they had the audience eating out of the palms of their hands. Following up with Yuk Foo which found front woman Ellie Rowsell’s versatile vocals working overtime, as she snarled, screamed and grunted out the rage filled vocals to the crowd’s delight.

With her previous image of a slightly posh girl next door, last night saw a massive change to Rowsell with her vampish tight black attire and dark brooding looks, but it was their music that this audience had come to hear. And as the show continued with a whirlwind of lights and energy, there was not much chat between the songs from Rowsell and her band mates, guitarist Joff Oddie, bass player Theo Ellis and drummer Joel Amey, but it did not matter as the band excelled on stage and were happy to keep the music coming.

Live favourite You’re A Germ came early in the set whilst Rowsell showcased her phenomenal vocal range during the slower delicate moments on St Purple And Green and the beautiful Planet Hunter. The crowd lapped up the band’s grungy rocking numbers like the fuzz fuelled Lisbon, the hypnotic Formidable Cool and Space And Time with its hard hitting rhythm.

There was a real infectious quality to Wolf Alice’s brand of alternative rock, none more so than with the bands Grammy nominated single Moaning Lisa Smile, with its raw energy and heavy riffs that sent their fans over the top. Visions Of A Life was truly one of the standout moments before their set closer Fluffy got the mosh pit going.

Returning to the stage for a duly deserved encore, Wolf Alice went back to the start of their career with Blush from their debut EP of the same name, before rounding off the night with their frantic fan favourite, Giant Peach.

On last night’s evidence they are at the top of their game and thoroughly deserve their reputation as a thrilling live band. They continue to go from strength to strength and there was certainly no second album slump here. They are firmly establishing themselves as one of the most exciting British alternative rock bands to emerge in recent times and there is no limit as to where they can go.