What a summer it’s been for Pale Waves. While they may not have broken into the limelight in full yet, those who know about the Manchester four-piece have reason to be excited. Frequent collaborations with ‘The 1975’, and a supporting slot on their US tour, have no doubt given the young indie-rockers a taste of what’s to come. After a hugely successful slot on the BBC introducing stage at Reading and Leeds this summer, it only seemed right that their first headline UK and European tour was on the cards in the near future.
Squeezing my way into the packed venue, I was met by a sea of excited fans in what was my first trip to the Bodega. As the purple and blue lights swept across the bright-eyed crowd, I too was beginning to feel the same buzz as the audience. A low hum oozed through the speakers as Pale Waves strutted onto the stage, before quickly erupting into the new(ish) single ‘Television Romance’, an indie anthem in the making. Although the set was short, it was certainly sweet, as the four-piece played a mixture of melodic, upbeat tracks with the odd slower song for good measure, all to the delight of the crowd.
I wouldn’t have professed to have been the biggest Pale Waves fan going into this gig, but the track ‘Heavenly’ was certainly a standout for me. Just like ‘Television Romance’, it was a delightful riff-filled track which left me grinning ear to ear. It was also well received by the fans, who happily chanted the catchy chorus back to frontwoman Heather. Fingers crossed we’ll see more of ‘Heavenly’ in the future.
After half an hour of shimmering melodies, the set came to a close with the final track being ‘There’s a Honey’. The band burst into song for one last time, as fans threw their hands in the air in sheer delight. However, this lead to the only negative of the evening, as a clutch of young girls attempted to make some sort of mosh pit. Not only did it feel a little out of place, but they collectively missed the moment to jump. Albeit mildly embarrassing, it does reflect the passion that the fans have for this relatively new and exciting band.
With a taste for catchy melodies and an ever-growing fan base, I don’t think that Pale Waves would look out of place playing to bigger crowds on bigger stages. Furthermore, it’s probably worth noting that the producing influence of ‘The 1975’ frontman Matt Healy is hugely noticeable, with the bouncing melodies urging even the most wooden gig-goer to give their right foot a tap. The future looks bright for Pale Waves, and with a debut album on the horizon, they are definitely ones to watch.
Photo courtesy of Ian Cheek Press
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