The Reign Begins - Wolf Alice Prove They’re Britain’s Best Guitar Band
- Desh Kapur
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
AO ARENA - MANCHESTER 28th NOVEMBER
WORDS AND IMAGES DESH KAPUR
The UK’s best guitar band step into the big leagues — and absolutely own it.
Manchester did the full winter misery routine: sideways rain, cold that cuts through coats, puddles that feel personally targeted. But outside the AO Arena, none of that mattered. Every pub was rammed, every bar humming. There was a buzz you could practically taste — the kind that only one band could generate.
Wolf Alice, finally on their first proper UK arena headline tour, arriving with the confidence of a group who know they’re untouchable right now.
They’re here touring fourth album The Clearing, a record so assured it borders on outrageous. Four albums, four consecutive Mercury nominations — something literally no other artist has ever pulled off. They’ve become Britain’s most quietly revolutionary rock band: Ellie Rowsell, Joff Oddie, Joel Amey and Theo Ellis, carving their own path while everyone else tries to play catch-up.
New York trio Sunflower Bean opened the night to a shockingly full arena — which tells you everything about the appetite for this show. Touring their excellent Mortal Primetime, they came out swinging.
Julia Cumming was a star from the first note: charismatic, composed, radiating the kind of confidence that makes you pay attention. With Nick Kivlen’s sharp, melodic guitar lines and Olive Faber’s tight drumming, their fuzzy indie rock warmed the room beautifully. Hooky, intense, and just the right amount of glam — a perfect setup.
Wolf Alice make their entrance — and Manchester loses it
The stage glowed silver with a huge tinsel backdrop as the band walked out, and then — boom — Ellie Rowsell appeared above them on a platform, dressed in a black halter leotard with three bold hearts and knee-high leather boots. The arena exploded.
Just Ellie, a mic, and the slow-burn opening of “Thorns” — pure theatre, pure power. From there they slid into “Bloom Bay Bloom” and “White Horses” (with drummer Joel Amey stepping up for lead vocals, as smooth and effortless as ever).
What followed was a masterclass in how to headline an arena without losing an ounce of identity. Wolf Alice prowled through their catalogue like a band showing off their evolution in real time: feral, tender, chaotic, cinematic — all of it.
Set highlights that slapped extra hard
“Just Two Girls” — the night’s first “holy shit” moment. Ellie’s ode to bestie devotion hit nostalgic and fresh all at once, complete with the already-iconic line:
“I was looking at her extensions / She looked so pretty, it was fucking offensive.”
“Yuk Foo” — screamed through a megaphone, as unhinged and exhilarating as ever.
“Play It Out” — thousands of phone lights rising like constellations.
“Smile” — those distorted riffs bouncing around the arena like pinballs.
“Giant Peach” — chaos incarnate.
The band looked completely at home on a stage this size — no overblown spectacle, thoughtful lighting, and the kind of musicianship that makes everything else feel secondary.
After a blistering, decade-spanning sprint, they closed with the airborne ache of “Don’t Delete the Kisses.” The whole arena sang it like a hymn. It was one of those rare moments where 20,000 people feel suddenly connected — a warm, glowing exhale after a night of emotional whiplash.
Wolf Alice aren’t rising anymore — they’ve risen “Mesmerising” and “spellbinding” feel too soft. Wolf Alice were all that and something more ferocious. This is a band at the absolute peak of their powers, finally on the scale they’ve always deserved.
Arenas suit them. Stadiums will too.
And on a rainy night in Manchester, they proved why they’re the best guitar band in Britain right now.
SET LIST
Thorns
Bloom Baby Bloom
White Horses
Formidable Cool
Just Two Girls
Leaning Against the Wall
How Can I Make It OK?
The Sofa
Bros
You're a Germ
Safe From Heartbreak (If You Never Fall in Love)
Safe in the World
Bread Butter Tea Sugar
Yuk Foo
Play the Greatest Hits
(Ellie sung "play Wonderwall" before final breakdown)
Silk
Play It Out
Giant Peach
Smile
Encore:
The Last Man on Earth
Don't Delete the Kisses
FOLLOW WOLF ALICE