Just in time for Halloween, ‘Chelsea Wolf’ brings her dark, poetic presence to Brighton!
It’s been a pleasure to witness Chelsea Wolfe play live again in the UK to highlight her new album, ‘She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She.’ It’s been more than five years since she played in Brighton and her first post-COVID venture to Europe to tour. Tonight, hordes of fans can witness Chelsea Wolfe bringing some dark gothic folk rock to Brighton’s 800-odd capacity Chalk Venue.
Chelsea Wolfe has recently released a collaboration and a rendition of the band ‘Spiritbox’, ‘Cellar Door’, a powerful, dark ‘metalcore’ track with reminiscers to ‘Architects’ in style thrown together with the usual 80’s Gothic shapeshifting sound mix!
With the colour theme and fashion being back in the media’s attention again recently with everyone attending tonight’s events was dressed in the deepest black but still brought a wonderful class style and presence to the show! With Tim Burton recently releasing ‘Beetlejuice’ again in the cinemas a mere 36 years after the original, fashion houses have brought a touch of gothic back into everyone’s wardrobe and it is trickling back down into the high street !
A welcome addition to tonight’s show is Mary Jane Dunphe, who is bringing her mood-driven performance art style to the UK. Her style is very much Avant-garde and reminds me of ‘Christine & the Queens ‘with some quirky, eclectic, gender-defying ‘Bjork.’ Mary sings about the stage full of emotion! Only last year, she released her debut album, ‘Stage of Love,’ which made the media list of one of the best albums of 2023.
The audience was quite baffled by what they were about to witness, with Mary slamming down on stage full of emotion to a peaceful harmonic guitar solo with an industrial drum beat playing in the background! The perception of what music really is about is certainly challenged as her set draws to a close!
The sound of a soft piano being played soon introduced the opener, ‘ Whispers in the Echo Chamber,’ for Chelsea Wolfe. The three band members made an appearance shrouded in darkness, with only a few spotlights hitting the stage. The low-end bass, the mixing, and the traditional drums have a superb effect. In contrast, ‘House of Self-Undoing’ has more of a haunting, fast drum beat.
The sounds and the atmospheric riffs soon get the audience in control and echo throughout the venue. Tonight, she mainly performed songs from her latest album ‘ She Reaches Out To She Reaches To She, with her vocals perfectly crafted and indebted to the ‘The Pixies’ style of quiet verse! ‘Feral Love’ is very melodramatic and was used in the trailer for one ‘The Game of Thrones’ seasons. Some heavy cuts from her 2017 album ‘Hiss Spun’ 16 Psyche’ and ‘The Culling’ also adorn this evening set.
As the night draws to a close, we are reminded how music should be crafted with a dark emotional effect. The lights do not go beyond a yellow-red hue, and Chelsea Wolf’s presence creates an emotional rollercoaster!
CHELSEA WOLF Set List:
Whispers in the Echo Chamber
Everything Turns Blue
House of Self-Undoing
Tunnel Lights
16 Psyche
After the Fall
The Culling
The Mother Road
Flatlands
Feral Love
Salt
Unseen World
Eyes Like Nightshade
Place in the Sun
Dusk
Encore :
The Liminal
Carrion Flowers
