Sheffield was already buzzing with pre-Tramlines energy, the sun was out (for once), and the city had that Friday-feeling, even if it was only midweek. Add a sold-out Wet Leg show at The Foundry, in collaboration with Bear Tree Records, and you’ve got the perfect indie storm.
The occasion? The launch of Moisturiser, their hotly anticipated second album. The venue? Absolutely rammed. The visibility? Questionable, thanks to a smoke machine that did not come to play. Once the fog cleared (slightly), and I’d accepted I’d be watching most of the gig through strangers’ phones, short-girl problems, Rhian Teasdale stepped up, quite literally, into a gust from a stage fan, and kicked things off with Catch These Fists.
From the get-go, it was clear: this is a band that’s come into its own. Rhian’s vocals took centre stage, the energy was tighter, cooler, more self-assured. The whole band just felt settled – still cheeky, still chaotic, but with more purpose.
Even though the night was all about Moisturiser, the crowd lit up for tracks from their Mercury Prize-winning debut, Ur Mum got the usual cathartic scream treatment (satisfying, every time), and Being in Love had us all bouncing. Between songs, Henry on drums dropped in the driest “thank yous” I’ve ever heard, so understated it became a running joke in the crowd.
True to form, the set wrapped up just under the hour mark. Wet Leg don’t faff about – they get the hits in and get out. And honestly? On a weeknight in your thirties, there’s something blissful about being back home with a cuppa by ten. All in all, a banging night. Wet Leg continue to prove they’re not just riding the hype wave – they’re steering it. And The Foundry x Bear Tree Records? Still one of Sheffield’s best tag teams for gigs that actually sell out for the right reasons.
