The London four-piece returned to their roots in style on Sunday, complete with a stacked supporting bill and a career-spanning set that turned Finsbury Park into a celebration of the past, present and the future.
Some gigs feel inevitable. Others feel earned. Wolf Alice‘s long-awaited Finsbury Park headline show fell firmly in the latter camp. Not only was it the band’s biggest headline show to date, a milestone built on years of relentless touring and a string of career-defining records, but it also honoured where they’d come from, just a stone’s throw from the pubs, rehearsal rooms and streets that shaped them. It’s not often a Finsbury Park headline carries so much emotional weight, but for Wolf Alice, the significance of the occasion was impossible to ignore.
“Let’s have the most fun ever, please!” beams Ellie Rowsell after showering the crowd in silver confetti early in Bloom Baby Bloom, moments before the anthemic rush of White Horses has over 45,000 fans dancing and having the time of their lives. It was moments like this that confirmed they were exactly where they belonged. The entire day felt celebratory, bolstered by a stacked supporting line-up that underscored the band’s influence while proving a new generation of live acts are already following in their footsteps.
Florence Road set the tone early in the afternoon, playing with the kind of hunger and infectious excitement that makes it easy to understand why so many people are talking about them. The Irish group continued to cement themselves as one of the most exciting upcoming talents, and the hype is duly warranted. Keo, meanwhile, arrived with plenty of momentum of their own. They’ve spent months labelled as your next favourite band, and despite having only a handful of releases to their name, the band’s gritty guitar riffs and commanding stage presence felt perfectly suited to the massive Finsbury Park stage. There was a newfound confidence about them this time, as they packed their 30-minute set with highlights including the impassioned I Lied Amber and the searing Thorns. They let the music do the talking, and it spoke volumes.
Rachel Chinouriri looked genuinely taken aback by the size of the crowd as she soundtracked the midafternoon sunshine with a string of pop-rock tunes. Her infectious stage presence never wavered, bounding across the stage and catwalk with an energy that matched the occasion. It was a set rooted in self-love and empowerment, while serving as a celebration of just how far she’s come since breaking through with So My Darling in 2018. Unsurprisingly, All I Ever Asked prompted one of the loudest singalongs of the afternoon so far, while a teaser of forthcoming single Aaahhh!!! offered an exciting glimpse of what’s to come.
The atmosphere shifted for Lykke Li, whose haunting, enigmatic stage presence cast a spell over Finsbury Park. Her ethereal vocals and melancholic, synth-driven pop proved a striking change of pace, with Happy Now, Possibility, and the ever-addictive I Follow Rivers immersing the crowd. The latter, in particular, remains one of those songs you’ve definitely heard, but aren’t sure who it’s by.
One of Sunday’s defining messages came courtesy of Abigail Morris, who declared “Just Remember, Nothing Matters,” in a deliberately exaggerated American accent before The Last Dinner Party closed out their hour-long set. Fresh from months spent touring their theatrical, genre-blurring show across Europe, North America and Australia, Finsbury Park felt something of a homecoming for the band, too. The five-piece looked completely at ease on the big stage, whether leading the crowd through an impromptu dance routine during This Is The Killer Speaking or simply revelling in the theatricality of a catalogue that seems to grow more ambitious with every release. Their presence and joy were infectious, making every moment feel as playful as it was expertly crafted.
If there was ever any doubt about the significance of the location, 45,000 voices singing “Feels a little like I’m stuck in Seven Sisters, North London,” during The Sofa quickly put it to rest. It was a moment that left all four members of Wolf Alice visibly amused, a reminder that often it’s the little things that best capture what four mates can achieve just by starting a band. Built around their latest album, The Clearing, and weaving in their greatest hits, the set struck a balance between heartfelt intimacy and polished professionalism. There were moments of nostalgia, too. Bros was accompanied by grainy footage of the band’s early shows, while the delicate pairing of recent B-side Gospel Oak and deep cut White Leather, the latter performed with Rowsell curled inside a giant, shimmering star, flowed into How Can I Make It OK?. During these quieter passages, Finsbury Park fell almost completely silent, allowing every lyric and every emotion the space to resonate truly.
“Open up the pit!” shouted bassist Theo Ellis, before the snarling chaos of Yuk Foo, Play The Greatest Hits and Smile tore through Finsbury Park, unleashing the punkier side of Wolf Alice’s sound. Rowsell stalked the stage with a megaphone before climbing down to the barricade, amplifying the glorious chaos unfolding before her. A playfully deadpan “Sorry about that…” followed as the band effortlessly switched gears into the dreamy haze of Lipstick on the Glass and the sprawling Visions of Life, a song that encapsulates the band’s restless creativity and refusal to be confined to a single sound. Through it all, they were having the time of their lives, their joy proving utterly infectious as they transformed the park into a sea of bounding, waving bodies.
Before Don’t Delete The Kisses sugarcoated Finsbury Park, Rowsell paused to share a few words that neatly summed up the spirit of the day: “If you’ve got a crush, you should probably tell them. If you want to start a band, you should probably start one.” It was the kind of simple, heartfelt sentiment that felt entirely fitting for a show celebrating just how far Wolf Alice have come. As fans climbed onto shoulders, embraced one another, and screamed every word back, the timeless Wolf Alice classic became one of the night’s most affecting moments. Adding to the magic, a giant disco ball descended from behind the shimmering silver curtains, bathing the park in reflective light. It first appeared during Just Two Girls, prompting Rowsell to joke, “Give it up for the big ball!” as if it were a fifth band member.
As they returned for an encore of Mona Lisa Smile, a raucous cover of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit, and the blistering Giant Peach, it was hard not to feel grateful they took their own advice and started a band back in 2012. One final burst of confetti rained over Finsbury Park as the band’s name illuminated the shimmering fringe framing the stage, a simple but powerful symbol of everything they’d achieved together. Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline rang out over the park as fans began to leave, and the four members danced along to it with broad smiles of disbelief on their faces. It felt less like a victory lap than a quiet moment of acknowledgement: they’d made it.
Fittingly, it brought the curtain down on a triumphant homecoming built on friendship, perseverance, and above all, the power of music.
