Are you still dancing to Joy Division after all these years? We certainly are- and so were the crowd at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena on March 21st for Indie legends The Wombats.
As the doors opened and the fans bustled their way to the barricade, it became clear just how broad the band’s appeal was- drawing people of all ages and pulling in both first timers and returning fans who’d seen them two, three, even five times before. With over two decades of The Wombats, it is fair to say that the band hailing for Liverpool have built quite the reputation for themselves. But have they managed to maintain the same high energy and impact that defined their early work? The answer, simply, is yes.
But first, not one, but two supporting acts. First on was Red Rum Club who charmed the crowd with songs such as Would you Rather be Lonely and Vanilla, simultaneously giving the audience a solid dose of déjà vu with lead singer Fran Doran’s styled resemblance of a 2014 Alex Turner.
Everything Everything followed, and if the song Distant Past sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve heard it whilst scoring goals in FIFA 16. The band also played songs such as No Reptiles and Cold Reactor. Now with the excitement rising, the audience was more than ready for the next 90 minutes of pure Marsupial magic.
Making a perfectly timed entrance (despite the title of their opener), Matthew Murphy, Tord and Dan welcomed the Welsh crowd with Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come from their latest album Oh! The Ocean. The atmosphere had no time to dip as the band jumped straight into fan favourites such as Moving to New York, Ready for the High and Techno Fan.
Followed by dancing wombats on stage and a series of mosh pits on the floor, whether you were a new or returning fan, the band had the crowd constantly dancing as they fluctuated between their older albums and their more recent tracks.
The World’s Not Out to Get Me, I Am, Tokyo (Vampires and Wolves) and Kill The Director were played alongside fan choice of the night Is This What it Feels Like to Feel Like This? and a special performance of Patricia The Stripper, dedicated to a superfan.
After powering through 20 tracks including My Head is Not My Friend, and If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming With You, the confetti cannons blew, gearing the crowd up for the closing trio of the night. The encore consisting of Can’t Say No, Turn, and of course, Greek Tragedy was a pitch-perfect ending, made even better by a surprise balloon drop from the skies of the arena.
So, if you’re looking for a band that have fun on stage, keep the energy high, and have a ridiculously good discography of indie bangers, then look no further than a night with The Wombats.
Words and photography by Jenny Algieri