There’s a new-wave of goth-pop sweeping through the music industry and Pale Waves are at the forefront.
Touching down in Sydney this week, the Manchester four-piece took over The Lair at The Metro Theatre on Wednesday night (11 July) for their first ever show in Australia.
If you were one of the lucky people that managed to snag a ticket, then I’m sure you’ll agree that this was a show worth waiting for.
Pale Waves are making music for the emo kids that never quite left the early 2000s, creating a pop-filled soundtrack for heartache and loneliness without the sugar-sweet commercialised coating.
While the band delve into heavier subjects at times, this is generally offset by a bright melody or riff, which is why it seemed strange to have someone as heavy as AViVA as a tour support.
AViVA’s brand of zombie-rock definitely set the wrong tone for the night. Channelling a very 2007 Hayley Williams, AViVA’s lead singer appeared on stage looking fierce and ready to perform. Her vocals rang through The Lair, filled with grit and emotion; it was a shame that the first note from the set came from their backing track.
Backing tracks serve an important purpose in modern day music, but far too often we see bands relying on these recordings to build their show. Because of this, AViVA’s sound came across very manufactured and really detracted from their live performance.
This set had all of the makings of an incredible live show, but fell short in the execution.
One of the buzz bands at SXSW this year, Pale Waves Australian debut has been highly anticipated. Not wasting any time, they burst into ‘Television Romance’ for their opening track.
From the moment the band arrived, the crowd was squealing with excitement. Lead singer Heather Baron-Gracie was a spectacle as she emerged onstage, dressed in black vinyl with just a touch of leopard print.
Click here to read our June 2018 interview with Pale Waves.
It’s this effortless style and 'Thriller'-style dance moves that makes her stage presence so captivating. Even when Heather accidentally ripped the cord out from her microphone, the audience never waived in their support or excitement.
Some fans were perhaps a little too passionate about Pale Waves, with a number of people screaming erratic proclamations of love through songs and deliberate pauses in the set.
Let’s also not forget that one fan arrived with an arm-full of dolls and proceeded to throw them on stage throughout the night. If you’re looking to show your favourite band how much you enjoy their music, maybe just pay for their EP rather than turning them into a real life Barbie. Just saying...
With the release of their latest single ‘Noises’, Pale Waves have shown their ability to mature as a band, without straying too far from their original sound.
Pale Waves are about to take over the scene; it’s time to jump on the bandwagon guys.
