THE WOMBATS | LIVE REVIEW
Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union, Fri 16 Mar
Furry mascots, giant inflatables and laser shows: it’s been three years since indiepoppers The Wombats gave us the synth-riddled Glitterbug, and judging by the sold-out crowd in attendance to witness their return with fourth studio album Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life, it’s pretty clear they’ve been missed.
Kicking off proceedings with new single Cheetah Tongue, it’s straight down to business as the fan favourites were rolled out thick and fast. Give Me A Try, 1996 and Kill The Director come as a triple whammy, getting right to the heart of why this Liverpudlian trio have been such a success. They’re fun, frivolous and dedicated to delivering the crowd-pleasing thrills we’ve come to expect from them over the years, which they do without fail.
Black Flamingo, an offering from the new album, goes down a treat. Complete with trademark chant, it’s a strong single from the fast-paced album. Keeping up the high-intensity theme, Techno Fan and Emoticons follow suit with impressive light shows and quirky animations running throughout. With a good mixture of tracks from across all four albums, the setlist really is expertly picked for their audience – even the ‘fillers’ are upbeat and keep people jumping, Pink Lemonade being the perfect example. When the time comes for a breather, the comparatively slow I Don’t Know Why I Like You But I Do steps in.
The last song before the encore comes in the form of the bouncing Let’s Dance To Joy Division, for which the band introduce their special guests for the night – the youth chorus from the original 2007 recording, albeit not quite as youthful now. As well as adding an extra little burst of energy, it’s a nice personal touch that links nicely back to the band’s beginnings.
If the crowd hadn’t been going mental enough through the first half of the show, the encore was where it all kicked off. Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves) had clearly been one everyone had been waiting for, and as the first chorus hit the inflatables were released, really highlighting the playfulness of the song itself. Greek Tragedy follows, closing the set, but we’re not ready for the party to be over. They’ve been going strong for 15 years, but there’s still an abundance of life in The Wombats yet.
words ANNIE BISHOP photos ARABELLA ITANI