Australian band Wolfmother is actually an alias for Andrew Stockdale who is the only remaining original member and the driving force behind it. A few years back he shelved Wolfmother and released a solo album under his own name together with a solo tour announcement. I got tickets to his Paradiso show, but then the whole tour was cancelled and things got a little unclear for a while. Stockdale returned to his Wolfmother project but the line-up was changing a lot. The latest album Victorious shows a return to form and things seem to be well again in the Wolfmother universe. And finally they also returned to Paradiso.
Wolfmother at Paradiso Amsterdam, April 26 2016
The band has returned to the trio line-up so the stage looks quite empty. Stockdale looks a bit detached from the other two standing at the left side of the stage. He explains later on in the show that he strained his ankle and apologizes for not moving all over the stage like we're used of him. It doesn't really matter though when the skinny curly haired Australian opens his mouth to sing and we can hear his mighty rock howl. 'Victorious' opens the set and proves the band is back where it once began with Black Sabbath and Zeppelin kind of riffs and grooves.
There is often criticism for not being original and copying the famous hardrock bands too much. I think that despite the fact that they are definitely inspired by the hard rock music from the seventies, it's more than a just copy. And yes, some songs sound alike and the band doesn't use a lot of variation, but they play their music so well and with a lot of heart and conviction. Most important of all they are clearly enjoying it a lot. Stockdale may be injured but it's clear he's excited to play here tonight and is spreading joy and good vibes across the room.
Right from the start a little party breaks loose that only gets bigger when older songs and fan favourites like 'Woman' are played early in the set. The trio setup is actually great for every musician to give what they got without getting in the way of someone else. Bass player Ian Peres is working hard, playing both bass and keyboard, sometimes even at the same time. Drummer Alex Carapetis doesn't have to hold back either, knocking out the heavy grooves with great force. In the encore there's time for two more songs until of course the best Wolfmother song 'Joker & The Thief' closes the night with a bang. So it may not always be very original but boy does this feel good!
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Setlist:
01. Victorious
02. New Moon Rising
03. Woman
04. Apple Tree
05. The Love That You Give
06. White Unicorn
07. White Feather
08. California Queen
09. How Many Times
10. Gypsy Caravan
11. Dimension
12. The Simple Life
13. City Lights
14. Pretty Peggy
15. Pyramid
16. Colossal
Encore
17. Vagabond
18. Joker & the Thief
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