WOLF ALICE IN POMONA: FIRE ALARMS, MEGAPHONES, AND THE CLEARING
FOX THEATER — POMONA, CA
London-based band Wolf Alice made their way across the pond for THE CLEARING TOUR, which started last month, and on October 11th, they played their penultimate North American show at Pomona’s Fox Theater before heading back to Europe, the UK, and Ireland. The show was a testament to the band’s chemistry, resilience, and talent—which, I believe, had been severely underestimated prior to their newest album, The Clearing.
Making their way onto the dark stage, the band appeared as backlit silhouettes, easing us into the night with “Thorns”, a beautiful, jilted ballad and fittingly the opening track of The Clearing. After the song’s delicate end, the familiar sound of “Formidable Cool” spiked the energy in the venue, turning chest-clutching into hip-swaying as the audience fell into the track’s infectious, angsty groove. It felt like nothing could stop the show’s early momentum—until lead singer Ellie Rowsell’s mic cut out. It wasn’t until the band had halted entirely that we heard the chirps of a fire alarm, and the flashes reflected off the stage turned out to be emergency indicators rather than the bounce of a camera flash. All was safe, luckily, as we soon learned there was no fire, just an overzealous fog machine. The band returned to the stage within minutes of their safety exit, with Rowsell chuckling as she asked the crowd to pretend the last 10 minutes hadn’t happened. “Formidable Cool” began again from the top, this time going uninterrupted by emergency systems—an absolute treat with this being one of my favorites.
The rest of the night went off without a hitch, with Wolf Alice weaving through their discography, from their debut My Love Is Cool, through Blue Weekend, Visions Of A Life, and of course playing a majority of tracks from The Clearing. Songs like “Bros”, “Lipstick On The Glass”, and hit single “Smile” all had their moment, but there were quite a few highlights of the night. Before playing “Safe From Heartbreak (if you never fall in love)”, everyone on stage gathered together to join in perfect vocal harmony in front of a crowd that had fallen so respectfully silent you could hear the tap of a toe. Maintaining the tension, and with all members returning to their instruments and positions, they followed this performance with “The Sofa”, a standout on the album that has quickly become one of my all-time favorites from Wolf Alice. During the second chorus, Rowsell knelt on the stage floor, reaching out to hold hands with a fan for a sentimental moment.
Easily the most memorable song of the night—yes, even compared to the fire alarm incident of “Formidable Cool”—was “Yuk Foo”. Flashing lights of blue and red, the sound of a siren (this time planned), and Rowsell center stage with a megaphone shouting “Am I a bitch to not like you anymore?” is going to be a highlight of my 2025. Closing out the main set was “Bloom Baby Bloom,” another major track from The Clearing, during which Rowsell delivered some of the most powerful vocals I’ve heard all year. But of course, as the encore began, we knew the night was coming to an end, and as “The Last Man on Earth” came to a close, there was only one song left. I’d moved from the floor to the balcony by this time, and there was such a beautiful balance to be seen between the stage and the crowd from above. Despite being entirely outnumbered, the band matched the energy of the hundreds of people standing before them as they sent us off with “Don’t Delete The Kisses”, a song that has taken on such a life of its own.
Wolf Alice had one of the best shows I’ve been to this year, and The Clearing is certainly one of 2025’s best releases. While the North American leg of THE CLEARING TOUR wrapped up this week, fans in Europe, Ireland, and the UK still have a chance to see them live this time around. Tickets are available now on the band’s official website.
