LIVE REVIEW: Wunderhorse Raise the Roof at Princess Theatre
- Alissa Lott
- Oct 2
- 3 min read
After releasing their second studio album Midas, English rock band Wunderhorse touched down in Australia for a much-awaited tour. The Brisbane leg of the tour was presented by Brisbane Festival, massively anticipated, and sold out months in advance. The band is known for their gritty, emotional indie-rock and have garnered a massive fanbase since they began in 2020 as a solo project by lead vocalist Jacob Slater.
Byron Bay three-piece HEADSEND kicked the night off with a set of richly layered and emotive grunge sounds. The band are fairly new to the scene, but already making waves, coming off of some explosive BIGSOUND performances and the release of their first single ‘Stove’.
The set starts slow, with a sultry build-up that explodes into rich, grungy instrumentals. They have a quiet rockstar energy and a Nirvana-esque vocal quality. HEADSEND don’t talk much in between songs- their music says all that needs to be said as they cram as much as possible into their half-hour set, thoroughly impressing the audience.
After a brief intermission, the crowd cheers as Wunderhorse enters to an energetic instrumental that blends into 'Midas', the title track of their new album, and then morphs into 'Butterflies' from 2022 debut album Cub. 'Butterflies' live is paced slightly slower than its recorded counterpart, and marked with intentionality. Fowler, on lead guitar, adds atmospheric, echoing elements throughout that transport the audience and send shivers up our spines.
Wunderhorse prove themselves masters of the indie-rock genre, exploring many emotions and niches throughout their performance. They move into a darker space, accompanied by gritty, emotional vocals and sweeping bass for ‘Emily', which is complemented by suitably atmospheric lighting. Slater’s performance throughout is a standout, emotional and punchy- it's like you can see all the energy packed into his body, and he sings it out with raw abandon.
Throughout the set, the band's performance is super tight and well-executed, and they work in perfect harmony with one another to deliver a performance that does justice to every song. However, as well as they work as a unit, each member is also given their own moment to shine.
Jamie Staples is spotlighted for a drum solo before and that blends into ‘Girl Behind The Glass’, (and the drums continue to be notably memorable throughout this song), ‘Silver’ is marked by Seb Byford on the bass, and ‘Teal’, perhaps one of their most popular and beloved songs, features some fantastic, country-infused guitar from Harry Fowler. The songs are all, of course, tied together by the distinctive, unique vocal stylings and lyricism of Slater.
The set provides a great mix of songs from both Cub and Midas, and there are notable highlights from both albums. ‘Leader of the Pack’ is a song with bite: Slater spits the lyrics with appropriate ferocity, and they are roared back from the crowd, all underpinned by jaunty guitar twangs, while ‘Cathedrals’ is an emotional release, cinematic in scope, featuring some of my favourite lyrics from the band's discography. Brand new single ‘The Rope’ is given a moment in the spotlight as well, with a ferocious instrumental and electric playing complimented by a characteristic emotional performance and husky, gritty vocals.
Another notable moment from the set is ‘Purple’, which has also been given some slight changes in tempo for the live performance. The slightly slower version lends the song some impactful weight, and the ethereal, poetic feel of it is complimented by appropriate purple light, bathing band and audience alike in dreamy purple hues.
After the lights are dimmed, the crowd roars for an encore, and the band returns for just one more song. We’re treated to ‘The Rain’ a high-energy number that amps the crowd up with it’s powerful beats and punchy performance. The band's togetherness is a highlight, and they weave a seamless performance, jumping around the stage, riffing on guitars, and getting out all the last bits of energy for the night.
The hour-long set was expertly crafted from beginning to end, weaving high-energy rock and pure, unfiltered emotion from across the band's stellar discography. I stepped out into the night exhilarated and happily exhausted, and immediately queued up Wunderhorse in my car to keep the vibes going all night home. While I’ve been a fan of the band for quite a few years now, the songs absolutely hit differently after seeing them shine on stage with an absolute dynamite live performance. Brisbane Festival has delivered another shining show, celebrating their dedication to showcasing the diverse and wonderful arts from around the world and cementing them as a cornerstone of Brisbane’s art scene.
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