Review: Pale Waves @02 Academy

Pale waves perform their debut album 'Smitten' to a packed out show at the Bristol 02 Academy.

Having never previously listened to Pale Waves I was somewhat unsure what to expect from the band musically, I was however positive in my expectations due to their grungy goth-punk online aesthetic.  

I was in truth expecting a hole/wolf Alice musical palette, I regretfully say that I was sorely mistaken in my estimation of the band. The gothic styling, vampire set and most professing of all - the band's name, is entirely reminiscent if not directly in line with dark wave. So, when the lyrics ' I'm addicted to your face', 'cos I'm so over you' and the excessive use of the word 'baby' sounded, my stomach dropped, and I began to count how many songs were left before I could escape the pseudo-punk nightmare. 

If I were to describe the dynamic within the room, I would find it somewhat impossible, with ages ranging from nine to seventy, but with a medium age of forty-five and a frankly absurd range of styles. I think the only way to truly describe the dynamic would be the woman I was stood next to : I look over at my neighbour mid-song on her phone, a song goes by, and she is still studiously staring at her phone. The light glaringly luminous, what could possibly be this interesting? The answer is hello fresh.  

Lead singer Heather Baron-Gracie's vocals are an interesting mix of softly beautiful and entirely wrong for the genre she is trying to force her way into. Singing into the microphone the space in the 02 feels cavernous, already a difficult venue to physically and musically fill, Baron-Gracie's vocals just don't stretch beyond the bounds of the still pit. 

It would be entirely unfair to completely shun pale waves, whilst the band is not to my taste. It does offer a gentle immersion to a slightly heavier eyeliner wearing demographic that a Lana del ray fan would enjoy. The issue I find myself grappling with is the dynamic between the alternative aesthetic and the vacuum of said aesthetic within the music. However, the idea of punk is non-conformity so perhaps the juxtaposition of music and style is the most punk of all. 

Stood on the right side of the pit, the majority of my view of the stage was that of bass player Charlie wood. Wood (whose last name is fittingly phallic considering his playing style) spent the majority of the gig grinding against the back of his guitar and posing for the twenty or so phones that were continuously pointing at the stage at all times. One wonders if the owners of said phones will fully watch the several five-minute videos that seem to have consumed their attention for most of the gig.  

Lyrically their album at a surface level seems to subscribe to a heteronormative break-up soundtrack, however I do believe in the case of pale waves that the context of the bands and their proudly vocal queerness is important in understanding a deeper level to the lyrics. 

Baron-Gracie's shining moment took place not when singing but, in the moments, she took to engage with the crowd. This I believe is one of her talents, at one point during the show she took the time to speech to a couple celebrating their 2-year anniversary, then dedicated the next song to them. Whilst to her perhaps not a big deal, to a fan I can imagine this must have been a truly beautiful moment. Having a room of 400 hundred people echoes back song lyrics to you. 

However, the moment that steals the show was when Baron-Gracie proudly declared her queerness, wearing a LGBTQ+ flag. It cannot be easy to tell a room of over 400 hundred people something so personal, but the respect that the room collectively had for her in that moment was immense. Having queer proud voices in such public spaces is so important and the inclusivity and shared love in the space was wonderful to see. 

Pale waves are an interesting case study for the idea of an encore. What springs to the forefront of my mind when I think of an encore is Freddie mercury leaping back onto stage, clad in his now iconic too tight jeans and white vest, to the roar of a desperate crowd at live aid coming together to celebrate and give. It's Led Zeppelin at their sold-out Maddison Square Garden show in 1973, returning to look out on a crowd devastated by the beauty of their music. It's David Bowie at the Hammersmith Ballroom in 2006, performing for the last time before he passed away. An encore should not need a 60-year-old sound technician to be shoved out onto the stage (clearly not welcome to the idea of being stared at by 400 hundred people on a random Wednesday), to urge a silent crowd wondering if they're supposed to leave yet, to cheer.  

What's your favourite song from the new Album?