Wunderhorse Live In Leeds: Raucous Rain & Sweaty Singalongs
I feel like I’ve been waiting for a band like Wunderhorse for quite some time. That’s not to say we’re short of new, and very talented outfits rising through the ranks of the indie rock genre – in fact the opposite. Among a sea of similarity Jacob Slater reared his head (albeit with 2 fingers down his throat) and has steadily chipped away at the stereotypes easily associated with such bands.
For, after all, what are Wunderhorse giving us that hasn’t already been done? Indie sleaze is dead and buried, despite how hard some bands may be gagging for its second coming. Post Punk has hit great heights and let’s face it; everyone’s favourite band Fontaines DC are mainstream artists now. Where is the crack to slip through? What fissure can bands root their fingertips into and grasp the light of a new opportunity? Perhaps the Victorian doctors were right and Slater’s restbite taking in the Devon coastal air imbued him with life after his notorious run with Dead Pretties and now Wunderhorse are giving us a live sound that beats out the streaming services by a country mile.
Leeds was the first city to sell out this tour – even surpassing the band’s London home show. Not surprising, the Leeds music scene is a relentless one and its fans are never ones to let a good gig slide by. Just before the support walked out, the queue was rammed down the side of Leeds Beckett Union – and a game of ‘spot the mullet’ kept us entertained (imagine an opposite Where’s Wally? situation). Fans all down the line bonded over a shared issue – forgotten physical tickets. A once unimaginable situation and a nightmarish one at that. Thankfully, the Beckett box office were working overtime and got everyone packed in drinking very flat, overpriced Amstel and buying up the particularly nice merch that isnt dissimilar to the legions of quality band tees I’ve taxed from my dad’s wardrobe.
Chatter filled the audience awaiting Wunderhorse’s arrival onto stage, it felt like a gig of a decade ago, notably one without blue screen light illuminating faces during conversations. The hum in the air was slowly building as an eccentric playlist prolonged the wait, until the white sheet fell, Wunderhorse’s moniker rose and I couldn’t hear myself think over the roar of the crowd as Staples, Woodin, Fowler and Slater stomped onto stage and straight into titular album track ‘Midas’.
As much as I adore my Marshalls, and am so rarely seen without them, I would’ve cast them aside in an instant to capture the quality and tight sound of the band live. What Spotify could never grant me is the crackling in the air from the riffs and the hoarse intimacy of Slater’s voice cutting through the crowd. I had the luck to chat to drummer Staples this summer, and after learning that his favourite way to play was a. barefoot and b. noisy as all hell, he certainly delivered. There were moments we were stilled to silence, a crowd of gazing eyes and grinning smiles – we were enchanted by ‘Butterflies’ and nodding in unison to ‘Emily’. Stark to me was the word-perfect singalongs, perhaps they had a secret karaoke machine onstage I was not privy to, or perhaps we’d all just really rinsed the album on repeat but the crowd was the 5th member of Wunderhorse this evening. From reminiscing on long lost loves to the time wasted chasing them, ‘Cathedrals’ was a standout and a very exciting moment to hear live. With ‘Rain’ serving as a reminder of their capabilities as a rock outfit, however the air quite literally being thick with the moisture of sweat. With a set punctuated by Slater’s chatting about the songs, and with a bit of back and forth with the crowd, almost climbing into it himself during fan favourite ‘Purple’. There’s a reason he’s so successful no matter where he goes, he’s a captivating front man, always busy and engaging and had all eyes trained on him at once. But under this pressure and the blinding lights he does not buckle. With a band at his back that match his talent and return it twicefold he has no reason to fear his potential but only to push forth.
‘Superman’ had the whole room holding its breath at once. A longer number that felt like it lasted an age and demonstrated the different levels that Wunderhorse can reach. They hold a sincerity that is rarely found within bands of this genre and it only works in their favour to be more vulnerable. Following an encore, they returned to play ‘Teal’, accompanied by a bizarre slow motion mosh pit that quickly ceased to exist and instead the crowd locked arms to match Slater word for word. Finally closing on ‘July’ it felt like no time had passed at all, and Wunderhorse for me, solidified their importance and their growing cult-following will ensure this will only continue and into bigger spaces.
Words by Millie Cain.
