The evolution of Wolf Alice has been one of alternative music’s most satisfying stories in the last decade and a half. Whilst there can seem to be a dearth of boundary-pushing British bands – those that tug at the envelope of what a traditional four-piece instrument setup can achieve – they have graduated from promising indie tunesmiths into a cast-iron, top-drawer versatile and experimental songwriting machine capable of all shades and hues. They have rightly learned to encircle around the tour de force that is Ellie Rowsell, a singer who has grown in stature and presence to the point where you can’t take your bloody eyes off of her.
Her vocal acrobats, not to mention the sheer power and flexibility of her voice, sat atop Wolf Alice’s heady and intoxicating musical brew on the final evening of Glastonbury 2025. The band raced through a 13-song set that incorporated most aspects of their rich catalogue. There was the explosive proto punk of ‘Play the Greatest Hits’ and ‘Yuk Foo’, the latter screamed into a loudhailer by an unhinged Rowsell, who prowled about the stage with reckless abandon. There was calm and succour, too. A deliciously faithful cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’ hooked onto the end of ‘How Can I Make It OK?’ and a sublime acoustic ‘Safe From Heartbreak (If You Never Fall in Love)’ offered sweet serenades in the evening sun.
Wolf Alice might be moving into their golden period. This was perhaps best summed up when considering how a showstopping ‘The Last Man on Earth’ from Blue Weekend was almost matched by the Kate Bush-meets-Tusk-era Fleetwood Mac melodic inflections of their very latest single ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’. Elsewhere, a thoroughly explosive ‘Giant Peach’ from their debut split the sky wide open, culminating its barrage of explosive riffing with ‘Seven Nation Army’ and ‘Iron Man’ tags. By the time they wrapped up with ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses’, the message was clear: this London quartet are back and better than ever. This felt like an audition for a headline slot once the fallow year is behind us and the festival returns in 2027. They would deserve every second of it. If the Eavis family are reading this, make it happen, OK? This was one of the very best sets of the weekend.
I agree with this on absolutely on point review. I’ve been watching this EPIC set on repeat for the better part of the two months since their performance. I’m scrambling trying to see them on their North Am tour.