As Wolf Alice have evolved into one of the best and most beloved bands in Britain, Nottingham has been there with them every step of the way. From providing a support slot for Swim Deep at Rescue Rooms well over a decade ago, to giving them their first mosh pit at The Bodega, to playing a midday slot at Dot-to-Dot and then later headlining Rock City, our city has always been a key part of their journey. Now as they complete the UK leg of their first arena tour, it seems fitting that Nottingham is the final stop. Here’s what went down…
As we enter the Motorpoint Arena and start making our way over to our block of seats, the powerful voice of Canadian musician Bria Salmena can be heard reverberating out from behind the main arena doors. We only manage to catch the second half of the set from the former FRIGS vocalist, but it’s enough to leave a positive impression, her rock and roll growl leaving the hairs on the back of our neck standing on end, as she plays songs from her debut solo album, Big Dog.
Up next are NY-rockers Sunflower Bean, who end up putting on one of the best support sets we’ve seen all year. Dressed all in black, they sound built for arenas, with plenty of face-melting rock riffs. Their set is accompanied by gothic visuals on the two side screens, as they mostly play through cuts from their 2025 album, Mortal Primetime. The highlight of the set comes when frontwoman Julia Cumming encourages the crowd to bring out their phone torches for I Knew Love, creating a glorious sea of fireflies amongst the arena audience. They finish the set by thanking Wolf Alice for bringing them out on tour, before plugging their Bodega after-party DJ set for later that night.
Finally, it’s time for tonight’s main event and it’s clear Wolf Alice are treating us to some Hollywood style glitz and glamour with their stage production tonight. The stage is built into a star shape made out of silver foil streamers, with a disco ball hanging high above, too. Before they take to the stage, a single spotlight is pointed at the drum kit, emblazoned with their album title: The Clearing. Soon the band emerge from the wings, before frontwoman Ellie Rowsell steps out through the hanging silver streamers at the back of the stage, launching into recent album opener Thorns. Every little detail has been thought about here, as even the video footage projected on the two side screens has been shot in a noticeably cinematic style, adding to that Hollywood feel.
“It’s our penultimate show, don’t let me down!” cries Ellie Rowsell, who is tonight sporting a spandex outfit which seemingly features the magical Rose from Disney’s Beauty & The Beast. It may be the penultimate show of the whole tour, but this is the last show in the UK and it certainly has the makings of a grand finale, with Rowsell’s voice sounding utterly awe-inspiring during Bloom Baby Bloom, the flawless, jaw-dropping performance reaffirming that the song is hands down one of 2025’s best.
It blows us away in more ways than one, as Rowsell at one point lays down next to some wind machines at the front of the stage, giving Nottingham her best Marilyn Monroe impression.
From there the band just continue to amaze, with recent single White Horses leading into the strutting riffs of Formidable Cool, the latter of which includes a really striking giant silhouette effect, which is then used a few times throughout the show.
“And now we disco!” yells Rowsell, as the disco ball above the stage is lowered during a performance of Just Two Girls and Leaning Against The Wall. It is then time for the evening’s first big singalong, as bassist Theo Ellis calls on the whole arena to join them on the chorus for How Can I Make It OK, to which the packed crowd obliges.
The Sofa is up next, with Ellie Rowsell laying back and singing from a rotating circular platform at the back of the stage, as the cinema cameras show a stylish, birds-eye view on the two big screens. After a quick shout-out from Theo to The Bodega and Rock City, the Notts venues that helped paved the way for tonight’s show, it’s into a couple of debut album cuts for the first time of the night. Bros immediately gets the whole placing jumping up and down with joy, a cute photo of the four band members as teenagers flashing up on the screens at the end, before the grunge of You’re a Germ starts the first few mosh pits.
It's then time to calm things down again, as all the band members down their instruments except guitarist Joff Oddie, the rest joining Ellie at the front of the stage with microphones. We are treated to a gorgeous near-acapella version of Safe From Heartbreak (If You Never Fall In Love), their harmonies echoing graciously around the room with barely a pin drop from the audience. Safe In The World continues the slower tempo, while the LA-sway of Delicious Things generates another big singalong with the crowd. Joff Oddie then takes centre stage, laying down some dazzling riffs on Bread Butter Tea Sugar.
The closer they get to the finish line, the more Wolf Alice kick into high gear. Police sirens begin to blare out alongside some alarming flashing blue lights. Eventually Ellie Rowsell re-emerges from the back of the stage armed with a megaphone, launching straight into fast and furious punk track, Yuk Foo. That ferocious energy continues straight into Greatest Hits, which eventually morphs into the delicate melody of Silk.
The audience then get their phone torches out one final time for Play It Out, before the band finish the main set emphatically with a one-two combo of Giant Peach and Smile.
As the word “SMILE” flashes on the big screens in bright green neon letters, everyone in the audience is thinking the same thing – we don’t want this to end. As the applause turns thunderous, the band return to perform one of the best songs of the 2020s so far – The Last Man On Earth. It’s a truly magical moment, Ellie’s whispered vocals transforming into a powerful cry once again in the back half.
“This last song is about love – and I love you!” yells Ellie, as the band lead us in one final, utterly cathartic singalong to Don’t Delete The Kisses.
As everyone leaves the arena, smiling and grinning from ear to ear, we overhear whispers from other audience members saying this is one of the best arena shows they have seen for a long time – we could be inclined to agree.
Safe to say then, the feeling is mutual Ellie: Nottingham loves Wolf Alice too.
Wolf Alice performed at Motorpoint Arena on 8th December 2025
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