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A Wolf On The Loose

Patrick Wolf has a reputation as either a diva, or an honest performer who thrives on the crowd’s reaction to him, so it’s a relief that the crowd in Glasgow seem to be in the right zone for his arrival. Wolf showcases several tunes from his new album, kicking off with the fiery ‘Oblivion’, while ‘Damaris’ with its epic violins and pulse-like percussion shines as one of the strongest tunes. ‘Blackdown’, which Wolf introduces as a song for his father, is one of the more delicate numbers with Wolf taking to the piano; it begins with a soft, emotive spell which is somewhat lost in a set of strong songs, however it soon changes dynamics and becomes and folk anthem with a buoyant rhythm tapped out on woodblocks by Wolf’s band. Energetic pop song, ‘Battle’ also goes down well with its aggressive and powerful call to arms allowing Wolf to unleash his full energy on the stage, strutting around like a true star.

Wolf is one of the few performers who do live up to the hype, he gives his all to the audience and his energy simply resonates around the room with every note of music. He looks for every opportunity to leap on a speaker stack, pose provocatively in his bondage breeches, and escape from the stage into the audience, edging his way into the crowd on a railing along the venue’s balcony.

Of course it’s the old tunes which really get the seasoned fans moving, poppy classic, ‘Accident & Emergency’ gets everyone dancing, while ‘Bluebells’ makes an early entrance in the set and captivates the audience with its impassioned refrain and beautiful piano accompaniment. ‘Tristan’ receives a welcome round of applause; the frenetic and lithe tune gets the crowd wound up into a frenzy as Wolf cavorts around onstage with ceaseless energy.

It’s hard to make a real impression as a solo performer, but Patrick Wolf manages to maintain a huge stage presence that’s simply captivating. His attire is carefully chosen and adds to his charismatic onstage persona, working effortlessly to please his eager audience.