Images: CHVRCHES, Wolf Alice April 21, 2016 at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas

As I walked into Brooklyn Bowl, I immediately thought to myself “I should’ve worn that fancy leotard,” self-consciously eyeballing many who took the opportunity to sport their best date night apparel, while many others looked like they’d followed CHVRCHES from Coachella and had the sunburn to show for it. I really enjoy the one-off larger shows that I get to cover sometimes, mostly due to the production value (and also because there aren’t, like, seven opening bands). Don’t get me wrong, seeing Basement in an abandoned living room was definitely a top ten experience for me, but the theatrics that go into a show like this a great change of pace.

As the lights dimmed for the headliners, CHVRCHES members Iain Cook and Martin Doherty took stage, and the backlit screen slowly rose to reveal the powerful silhouette of frontwoman Lauren Mayberry. The opening notes to “Never Ending Circles” came through, and more than 2000 people cheered as she took her position at the front of center stage.

It was a pretty packed house and Mayberry noticed – mentioning a huge increase in their Vegas fan base since they last came through town. That’s always great to hear from a band that you would like to come back. Unfortunately, the chatter at the back of the house was a bit distracting, reaching an annoying pitch during “Empty Threats,” but the band seemed to gather everyone’s attention in time for “Tether,” which yielded a remarkable crowd reaction to its emotional ending.  And I must say, listening to “Clearest Blue” in the car the next day definitely didn’t feel the same as it did in person. The recording does not come close to the live performance. It’s a must see.

While CHVRCHES set did feel a bit more rehearsed than I’m used to, Mayberry did make a point to connect to the fans between songs. “She must be so fit! Imagine!” CHVRCHES frontwoman Lauren Mayberry gushed at one point during the show, recounting the experience from the night before of seeing Britney Spears live. She also complimented the crowd on their dancing abilities, noting that her own dancing style is similar to a toddler’s. Unfortunately she didn’t demonstrate. Maybe next time.

Martin Doherty took center stage for “High Enough To Carry You Over” and “Under The Tide,” his vocals providing an interesting change of pace after a night full of female leads. To be honest though, I don’t think “High Enough To Carry You Over” is the best showcase of his talents at a live show, as hearing the “given me up/given you up” lyric 35 times in one song (yes, I counted) is a bit redundant. Mayberry retook her position for “Recover,” and they “closed” with “Clearest Blue,” though no one bought that the set was quite over. They returned moments later, thanking the crowd, and playing a few more songs, ultimately ending with their hit “The Mother We Share,” which turned the entire venue into one large dance party.

Britain’s Wolf Alice, the sole openers for this show, is one of those bands that people walk in not knowing who they are and end up buying the album on their phones or adding it to their Spotify queue before the show is even done.

The vocals of frontwoman Ellie Rowsell sound fantastic in person, though the grungy sound of Wolf Alice’s recordings isn’t translated live as much as I would have hoped for. The band opened with “Your Loves Whore” from their 2015 full length My Love Is Cool. The song features silent parts after each line, which surprised many who audibly groaned, thinking the music cut out, but the second time around the crowd showed their approval with cheers that momentarily took over the sound in the room.

There are times that I’ll be watching a band, and it’s so clear that they’re there because that’s their job, and they are doing what they are paid to do as they zone out, which is a feeling many can relate to. Wolf Alice was different. They were clearly enjoying every moment they had on stage together. The drummer made sure to silently acknowledge and compliment a fan on the barricades for his shirt between songs, which is a small detail, but it made a lasting impression. Although there was a lack of chatter between songs, Wolf Alice drew me in for their entire set, not needing the unnecessary talk about how hot Las Vegas is, and how much money the lost at the casino.

-Hunter Wallace | https://www.flickr.com/photos/hunter_wallace/