Wunderhorse take on Bristol’s O2 Academy
The band have hit the road for their sold-out tour.
Photo: Wunderhorse
With a tour that is already creating mass anticipation, Wunderhorse are quickly becoming a band that are dominating the scene right now. With only two albums under their belt and already securing a headline date at Alexandra Palace next May, their future is looking promising.
The tour itself had sold out quickly and you could sense a real buzz in the air on that Saturday night. Support came from Melbourne raised post-punk trio Highschool; their set played on nostalgia with frontman Rory’s vocals drawing similarities to early The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas. After playing their seven songs, they ended with a cover of My Pal by God, creating the perfect, shoegazing build-up that got the crowd nicely warmed up.
Wunderhorse (compiled of guitarist Harry Fowler, bassist Peter Woodin, drummer Jamie Staples and frontman Jacob Slater) opened with Somewhere Over The Rainbow, blending smoothly into Beck’s 94 classic Loser, giving the nod to grunge that the band do so well. Loser had the crowd straight in and you could feel the atmosphere becoming more electric by the minute. Midas, the opener and name of their most recently dropped album, was greeted by rapturous applause — the band can do no wrong at this point.
The whole set was filled with a sheer raw energy that radiated right up towards the back of the multi-layered Bristol O2 Academy. In a time where the world feels heavy politically, Wunderhorse allowed a moment of escapism by letting out those frustrations, witnessing unfiltered music being played to it’s purest form. Butterflies, a more sombre but still as gritty tune flowed perfectly into Emily, which allowed Jacob’s softer vocals to shine.
A few tracks from Cub — Wunderhorse’s first debut album — were played throughout the set, allowing us to reflect on why we fell in love with this band. Their most known yet still highly rated track Leader of the Pack was warmed into with a gritty instrumental that kept us guessing what might be around the corner. Slater was lost in the music at many points of the gig, with impromptu run-ups to the drummer, Jamie, whilst also spitting towards the floor, adding to the overall rawness of this set.
Everything about this band right now is no-nonsense, there is no denying that they have developed a cult-like backing and for all the right reasons. Wunderhorse are on the cusp of something super special and to be able to witness them before they are about to take off is a privilege.