As Pale Waves bring the party vibe to the Albert Hall Manchester, Billy Seagrave, heads down to join in the fun. For All Music Magazine UK.
Back to their roots, back to where the foundations have been laid, where it all started for the band. Heather, Ciara, Hugo, and Charlie were welcomed back with open arms at the Albert Hall in Manchester. Pale Waves are an English rock band from Manchester, formed in 2014. It was founded originally as Creek when lead singer and guitarist Heather Baron-Gracie met drummer Ciara Doran while attending university in Manchester. The other members are guitarist Hugo Silvani and bassist Charlie Wood, completing the line-up. Pale Waves’ early work is often described as 80s-inspired indie rock or synth-pop; their second and third albums, however, owe more to the pop-punk genre.
After amassing such a devoted following online for her makeup artistry, the 21-year-old Yorkshire, lass has been granted the ability to return to a childhood passion – music. With 17M TikTok followers, Abby Roberts is undoubtedly the platform’s biggest beauty creator. Now she sets her sights on the music industry. when Roberts takes to the stage, she is entirely her own persona: swaying and bouncing through the sweet and salty dream-pop numbers that make up her debut EP, with early singles ‘Paramaniac’ and ‘Pink Champagne’ reminiscent of artists like Clairo and Cocteau Twins. These throwback influences have seen her music earn praise from surprised listeners, the snobby expectation that a 20-year-old TikTok star might not have a well-rounded music taste well and truly debunked. ‘Band Aid’, was written for a friend who was having issues with her mental health and was an integral part of tonight’s performance, finishing the set with ‘Video Girl’, seems to parody were Abby’s foray into music is at present, judging by the warm reception she received I feel many more stage appearances are certainly in the pipeline for the future.
SET LIST:
1/ Paramaniac
2/ Pink Champagne
3/ Volatile
4/ Sleepwalking
5/ Embrace The Change
6/ Protocol
7/ Band Aid
8/ Video Girl
As the band come onto the stage and settle themselves down, the last to enter is Heather receiving a great ovation, it was straight down to business and start as you mean to go on, ‘Lies’, Your so vain’ and a debut play of ‘You don’t own me’, lets the crowd know it’s time to party. Leaving no room for slowing down the pace, Pale Waves tore through some of their most popular and buoyant tracks instantaneously, sparking mass singalongs to arguably the band’s most renowned track, ‘Television Romance’. It’s incredible to see how well Pale Waves’ stage presence has improved too, with frontwoman, Heather, in constant conversation with the crowd.
There’s huge crowd reaction to ‘Noises, and the classic ‘Red’, with constant crowd participation. Finishing the fun filled set with, ‘she’s my religion’, is a perfect way to close out this part of the show. Quickly coming back onto stage for the inimitable encore, another live debut is ‘The hard way’, instantly leading into the final track of an excellent night of music and mayhem, ‘Jealousy, is a final chance for the adoring fans to let loose before they pour out onto the busy streets on Manchester.
Once again Pale Waves have brought the party atmosphere to home ground, one that is being replicated at all the venues they are selling out on the way, the band are really developing their way to bigger and better things.
Band:
Heather Baron-Gracie – Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards
Ciara Doran – drums, Keyboards, Synthesizers, Programming
Hugo Silvani – Lead Guitar, Keyboards
Charlie Wood – Bass Guitar, Keyboards
SET LIST:
1/ Lies
2/ You’re So Vain
3/ You Don’t Own Me (Live debut)
4/ Television Romance
5/ Play Video
6/ Eighteen
7/ Fall to Pieces
8/ Clean
9/ Noises
10/ Change
11/ Red
12/ Alone
13/ There’s a Honey
14/ Unwanted
15/ She’s My Religion
Encore:
16/ The Hard Way
(Live debut)
17/ Jealousy
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