Wavves at the Garage

The last time Wavves played in London, over ten years ago, Donald Trump had yet to set foot in the White House, and the world had never heard of COVID-19. Tonight, Nathan Williams and his band are headlining the Garage in Islington, and it’s a welcome return for the Californian rockers, who’ve managed to release four albums since the last time they took to the stage in the UK’s capital.

Tonight’s setlist is littered with old favourites, and it kicks off with 2015’s Way Too Much, the perfect anthem for anyone stuck in a rut that’s always thinking “too much”. As those of us who are past our days of moshing stand firmly at the bank, a dedicated front section of the crowd proceeds to throw themselves around enthusiastically for the duration of this evening’s show. Williams is even hit with a rogue pint at one point, something he’s not too pleased with, later labelling the culprit a “cocksucker”.

The band aren’t too interested in speaking to the audience in between songs, but they make up for that with their raucous energy, tearing into historic numbers King of the Beach, Afraid of Heights, and Demon to Lean On. As they launch into the second half of the set, the room divides into two to create a menacing “wall of death” mosh pit, slamming into each other before erupting into chaos.

After just an hour, Williams begins singing the final track, the angst-ridden grunge anthem, Green Eyes, and everyone joins in with a heartfelt sing-along, chanting “Green eyes, I’d run away with you / Green eyes, ’cause I’m a fool” before the group finishes with a gritty instrumental.

It’s a short set with no encore from Wavves, and you can’t help thinking fans might have deserved a bit longer, considering the length of time it’s been since their last visit across the pond. However, it’s undeniable that the group delivered from the second they set foot on stage to the moment they got off, which begs the question of whether encores are even needed when the setlist hits on its own.

Gigs like tonight’s, that bleed with raw energy, are why so many of us love live music, and bands shouldn’t need to perform a long, drawn-out show to prove themselves.