Words by Olivia Milner
Following the release of their fourth album Smitten on September 27th, the Manchester four-piece Pale Waves took to the road. Their fifth stop of the tour marked their arrival in Brighton, where they conjured a crowd that packed Chalk.
The lights go down…
The venue filled with anticipation and excited chatter as fans awaited the band’s entrance onto the stage, which was draped in red velvety fabric, vines, and twinkling chandeliers. The lights dropped, the band filtered onto stage, and before we knew it, the audience had been launched into the swirling melodies of the first track, ‘Perfume’. While drummer Ciara Doran pounded out the heartbeat of the track, Hugo Silvani’s sparkling guitar tone entangled with Heather Baron-Gracie’s dreamy vocals. During the chorus, Heather sings “I wanna make you my girl,” the first of many sapphic lyrics to be sung and danced along to by the crowd that night.
The Aesthetic
While the members of Pale Waves are certainly no strangers to leather-heavy, cool-oozing outfits, the band appeared to have reached a new level of aesthetic cohesion. Doran, Silvani, and bassist Charlie Wood were clad in buttoned-down shirts, tailored trousers, and pinstripes, while Baron-Gracie shone almost spectrally at the forefront of the stage in her signature platform knee-highs and fishnets, with a silver tiara making a special appearance during ‘You’re So Vain’.
A good setlist
Though the setlist was largely dominated by Smitten tracks, the band revisited earlier albums, particularly their debut My Mind Makes Noises, which has been coveted by fans since its release in 2018. The energy was palpable throughout the entirety of the performance, with the only slight lull coming during ‘Last Train Home’, a slower, dreamier track from Smitten.
Same old?
That said, one noticeable aspect of the setlist was how similar many of the songs felt in terms of structure and style; The dreamy melodies, swirling guitar riffs, and repetitive choruses, at times, became just that – repetitive. This sameness extended to the lyrical content as well. While Baron-Gracie’s sapphic storytelling is a refreshing celebration of queer relationships, the lyrics often felt shallow, falling short of offering deeper emotional insights. Despite touching on meaningful subjects, the songwriting leaned towards catchy hooks rather than mature, nuanced exploration. For the average concert goer, Pale Waves’ performance may lack the musical and lyrical complexity needed to fully captivate those beyond their fanbase.
Queer representation
Regardless of the occasional repetitiveness in their set, Baron-Gracie worked to keep the audience engaged, taking time between tracks to connect with the crowd. At one point, she remarked that it had been “too fucking long” since they’d last performed in Brighton, explaining that the band “always gets [like] no’ed,” and joking, “I think it’s homophobic.” Adding to the evening’s significance, Baron-Gracie also took a moment to celebrate International Lesbian Day, reflecting on how fitting it was to be performing in Brighton on such an occasion. With a lesbian frontwoman at the helm and a largely queer audience in attendance, the night felt like more than just a concert; it was a joyous, communal celebration of queer love and identity. Despite some of the musical and lyrical limitations, the performance provided something even more valuable: a space for queer celebration and joy, where fans could see themselves reflected on stage. And of that, there can never be too much.
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Climax
The evening culminated in a highly anticipated encore, with Baron-Gracie introducing Glasgow as her personal favourite before the band closed out the night with ‘Jealousy’ – a punchy track that channels the angsty spirit of early Paramore, and hints of Avril Lavigne’s pop-punk edge. As the final notes rang out, Pale Waves exit the stage to the roar of an energised crowd, their cheers and applause echoing long after the band had made their way off stage. It was a fitting end to a night that offered not just music, but a space for celebration and catharsis.