Since 2017, Manchester indie four-piece Pale Waves have continued to embark on an upward trajectory. Comprised of frontperson Heather Baron-Gracie, drummer Ciára Doran, bassist Charlie Wood and guitarist Hugo Silvani, the band released their stellar debut record My Mind Makes Noises in 2018 via Dirty Hit Records. During the next year or so, they were given many incredible opportunities through arena support slots with The 1975 and Muse, where they continued to hone their live act. Fast forward to 2024, and the group have elevated their sonics through 2021’s Who Am I?, the pop-punk-tinged Unwanted in 2022, and most recently, the romantic and glistening indie-synth-pop record, Smitten. So by the time they got round to their October UK tour in support of Smitten, Pale Waves now offer audiences their tightest and most confident live experience yet.
On the finale of the tour, which was the band’s second night in a row at London’s 2,000-capacity venue HERE at Outernet, the group put on a spectacular show full of new songs and classics. After coming onto the stage adorned with decorative chandeliers and statues, the band opened the show with Smitten‘s lead single, “Perfume”. After tearing through “Not A Love Song”, Heather addressed the crowd. She said: “We are Pale Waves and welcome to the Smitten tour. It is the last night, it is so heartbreaking, so we need to go mad and have a mental time.” The group then broke out into their 2017 debut single, “There’s A Honey”. During the set there were many new fan favourites from Smitten played, but they didn’t shy away from previous LPs, as they performed tracks like “Change”, “Eighteen”, and “Easy”.
The highlights of the night came from when Heather asked the crowd if they “wanted to do something fun” and let the audience pick between “Red” or “Unwanted” – the song with the bigger cheer would win. As a result, the band played “Unwanted” for the first time on tour. Hearing new tracks like “Gravity” was a joy. The crowd erupted in a frenzy when Pale Waves played set staples like “Television Romance” and the LGBTQ+ anthem, “She’s My Religion”. By the encore, the group performed “Glasgow” to a mass clap-along from the audience. Prior to finishing the triumphant set, Heather said: “London, You’ve been absolutely beautiful, We are Pale Waves, goodnight” as they performed the effortlessly catchy and lively closer, “Jealousy”.
As they continue to embrace the Smitten era, Pale Waves have become experts at crafting a live experience that’s both intimate and electrifying—a fact their London show proved.
Words Cameron Poole
Photography Kelsi Luck