Wolf Alice Turn Hamburg Into a 70s Rock Dream
On November 7th, Wolf Alice turned Hamburg’s Georg Elser Halle into a fever dream straight out of the 70s. Perched on top of the city’s iconic concrete bunker, the venue offered a panoramic view of the funfair spinning in neon loops below. Outside: dizzying rides, flashing lights, the smell of fried sugar. Inside: bell-bottoms, fur coats, and more vintage leather than a Fleetwood Mac reunion tour. The crowd at Georg-Elser-Halle didn’t just come for a concert, they came dressed for time travel.
With their latest album The Clearing steeped in the golden haze of 70s rock, Wolf Alice had set the vibe before they even plugged in an amp. But first up were their support, Florence Road: Ireland’s latest alt-rock export, who were the perfect match to Wolf Alice’s fanbase. With an intense amount of guitars and charm they had the crowd wrapped around their finger within minutes.
Then came that moment, the lights dimmed, a heartbeat-like drum intro, and suddenly we were launched straight into Wolf Alice’s world as they perform Thorns. Enter frontwoman Ellie Rowsell, a silhouette against a glittering backdrop, her voice slicing through the haze as the rest of the band assembled behind her. Suddenly, it wasn’t Hamburg anymore, but was some parallel universe where glam rock never died, it just grew up a little moodier.
What followed was a glorious collision of eras from rock and indie finesse, cinematic nostalgia and now. The setlist darted between shimmering new cuts from The Clearing and fan-favourite anthems like How Can I Make It OK?. Each song felt like a different shade of chaos and tenderness, the kind Wolf Alice have mastered so well, as a band that is never afraid of totally changing up their vibe with a new project.
Midway through, the chaos softened. The band gathered at the edge of the stage for a stunningly intimate rendition of Safe From Heartbreak (If You Never Fall in Love) a moment full of gossebump inducing harmonies. Later, Rowsell sat down at the piano for Play It Out, her voice echoing through the hall getting us into our eeling once more.
But sentiment never stays long at a Wolf Alice show. The band roared back to life with The Sofa, Lipstick on the Glass, and an encore that ended, inevitably, with Don’t Delete the Kisses. Every person in the venue was shouting the words like it was therapy, the glitter backdrop and discoball lighting up the air as the night closed with a bang and a shimmer. Some concerts remind you why live music matters. This one made you forget what decade it even is, tangled up in the noise and nostalgia of a perfect rock ‘n’ roll dream.
