Wolf Alice Made Me Feel 17 Again (Sort Of)

A decade after first catching them at Portland’s Hawthorne Theater, Wolf Alice remain loud, luminous, and ever-evolving as they tour their fourth album, The Clearing. Words by Bren Swogger. Photos by Jenny Shackleton.

The last time I saw Wolf Alice was 2015 at the Hawthorne Theater. Ten years ago. Back then I was a 17-year-old kid in high school. It was a swelteringly hot August day. I took the bus into Portland and was first in line, sitting out on the stoop of the theater just to make sure I’d be right up front.

Now it’s the eve of my 28th birthday. After finishing my day job (the one that pays the adult bills), I drove my car downtown, went to a bar, and bought myself a beer. A small, ordinary act, but as this ten-year loop closes, I can’t help reflecting on the time between.

Though it’s been a decade since that first show (they were touring their debut then), Wolf Alice have never left my rotation. Their sophomore record was nothing short of a masterpiece, and their third was just as strong. I even picked up the vinyl at a record store in San Francisco. Their newest release marks another evolution in sound, though not in a bad way at all. The cover captures it perfectly: Ellie Rowsell crooning into a microphone like a lounge-bar showgirl… more of a showgirl than another artist currently making the rounds, if we’re being honest.

Wolf Alice always had that glimmer of smoky, sultry energy tucked beneath their 90s garage-grunge edge, but here it’s in full bloom. It’s sort of like what Arctic Monkeys tried to do with Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino. Just, you know… not bad (oops, did I say that out loud?).

After my pre-birthday beer and some Taylor Swift shit-talking with strangers at the bar, I made my way upstairs to the venue. I nursed a whiskey as Wolf Alice took the stage. A whiskey on the rocks felt fitting for the vibe tonight, though honestly I’d have ordered it anyway.

They opened with “Thorns,” which already blew me away as the first track on the new record, but it absolutely soared live. The tinsel backdrop shimmered, the band understated, Ellie in a plain white tee, but the leather pants and heels brought the fire. That perfect contrast between simple and bombastic as their open, cinematic sound filled the Crystal Ballroom from floor to chandelier. Ellie’s vocals kept climbing higher and higher as they moved into “How Can I Make It OK?”

The biggest difference between then and now? Back then I’d wait hours just to get front row. Now I grab a drink and find a spot in the back, away from the sweaty crowd. Because we’re what? Old and tired. At least a vodka Red Bull keeps me young.

But Ellie fucking shreds. The band walks that line between swelling elegance and mosh-pit chaos like no one else. When they break into “Bros” and “Your Loves Whore,” it’s a full-circle moment, throwbacks to the tiny hotbox of the Hawthorne Theater, now echoing through a sold-out Crystal Ballroom.

Seeing how far this little London band has come over the past decade naturally has me reflecting on my own ten-year arc. Sure, high school was simpler. Concerts every night, a little grungy teenage angst. But both Wolf Alice and I have grown up. This latest album is the band matured in sound and scope, stepping onto a bigger, more refined stage. And in a way, so have I.

Backed with tinsel and maturity, both Wolf Alice and I know the true life of a showgirl: the ups and the downs, the swoons and the moshes, the glamour and the grit. And we do it all in a plain white tee… and maybe a little bit of leather.