Wolf Alice

Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff

Joining a recent resurgence of grunge inspired acts, it’s apparent that Blackpool based three-piece Darlia modelled their sound almost exclusively on Nirvana.

Lead singer Nathan Day is effective in resurrecting the spirit of Kurt Cobain, hurling distorted sentiments from his throat in an accurate portrayal of Seattle’s reluctant poster boy. The ghosts of Grohl’s aggressive drumming and Novoselic’s tight, overdriven basslines are also present and correct.

The saving grace in this near-plagiaristic combination is the band’s originality in riffs and melodies, performed with a well judged balance of intensity and refrain. We need this kind of music back in our lives, and with such committed revivalists relighting the fuse, it’s easy to imagine the genre delivering a successful second wind.

If Darlia are Nirvana’s disciples, then Wolf Alice are the prodigal children of Foo Fighters, albeit with a less hairy singer. Frontwoman Ellie Rowsell’s voice flutters from delicate to deadly in a quick snap, dependant partly on the levels of alt rock chaos occurring around her. Big guitars, blistering rhythms and enough kinetic energy to generate a small power station are the catalysts to this foursome’s live assault. It all passes by in a fantastical, frenzied blur, with only the unnecessarily long Blush detracting from the otherwise dynamic set.

No matter, as closing blinder Bros draws the evening to a memorable finish, reminding those in attendance why this sort of music is usually played so loud. It’s because it deserves to be heard by everyone.