BIMM Institute alumni, Pale Waves, take over London’s Here at Outernet for their final show of the Smitten tour.

Words: Keira Oldfield

Pale Waves concluded their three-week Smitten tour with a bang in the heart of London’s music scene, Denmark Street. These shows marked the release of their latest album, Smitten, which was shared with fans on 27^th September this year.

HERE at Outernet is a gorgeous venue, tucked away behind a row of guitar shops. This place could only be described as a T.A.R.D.I.S. The queue weaves through a small alleyway and leads to a surprisingly large space for a small venue. Everything about the location itself was perfect; it was spotless, had plenty of room to roam around, two bars, and the venue staff were exceptional. What more could you possibly need?

Now, when it comes to concerts, I am usually the type to queue for hours to get the best view I possibly can. However, this time I decided not to. The main reason for this being that earlier in the day, Pale Waves‘ official Instagram account had reposted an announcement from Sixty Ink Tattoos, in which they shared that they were running a flash sheet specifically for the two days that the band were performing in London. Although I don’t have many, I am a sucker for a spontaneous bit of ink. I leapt at this opportunity. As soon as I arrived in the area, I headed straight there. I was amazed at the idea this studio had; not only was it a brilliant piece of marketing for them, but it was also a brilliant way for fans to fully immerse themselves in the experience of attending this gig. I really felt like this was the best way I could encapsulate a memory of attending a show. Yes, you can take videos and pictures or buy a piece of merchandise. But realistically these won’t last forever, whereas a tattoo essentially will. Even the artist that worked with me had previously attended BIMM Fulham, which made for lovely chat during the process. So now I have my Kiss Me Again themed tattoo to forever remind me of such an amazing night.

The whole vibe of the event was brilliant from the moment you stepped through the doors when they opened. There were no fans rushing around to get the front spot or pushing and shoving. Everyone was able to take their time, grab a drink (or a few!) and browse the selection of merchandise available. Everyone was chatting to one another, and just soaking in the warmth of energy that radiated from the crowd. As I mentioned earlier, fan culture nowadays results in people having to queue all day long to get a good spot. There was absolutely no need to stress about this with these fans, as even showing up 20 minutes before doors would secure you a spot in the first few rows. It was quite refreshing to not have to deal with the stress and aggro of determined fans. However, I just decided to hang back to enjoy a bit of breathing room at the back of the pit.

The crowd slowly started to fill as the tour’s support act, Swim School, began their 30-minute set. I had previously heard of the band but wasn’t very familiar with their music. I have to say, I was in for a delightful shock. Alice, the band’s front-woman, recited a story in which the group were described as “the shit version of Pale Waves”. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. This trio had their own personal flare and rocked the stage as if it was their headline show. They had plenty of crowd interaction and the energy in that room soared as their set went on. I would go as far to say that they are one of the most enjoyable support acts that I have seen. There is no doubt that their music will flood my playlists in no time at all.

After a short interlude following Swim School’s energy-building set, it was time for the main event. Pale Waves. The lead up to their appearance was filled with a surge of energy and excitement. The buzz kept on building. Fashionably late, the lights dimmed. The intro to the set began, and a wave of cheers and claps from their eager fans travelled throughout the venue. The fading lights highlighted the stage, which was adorned with marble statues and chandeliers. This choice of décor encapsulated the group’s aesthetic perfectly. You really felt like you were immersed in the album’s world.  Then, one by one, they stepped out. The cheers grew louder and louder with each member. Their fans were already fully indulged before Heather, their front-woman, even had a chance to take her starting breath.

They opened their hour-and-a-bit performance with Perfume, the lead single from their album. I had previously seen this, and a selection of other songs, performed by the band for our Freshers opening party. I mean, what a great way to celebrate the start of the year! Do not get me wrong, I think these guys were brilliant then. I just feel like it was so pleasant to see them interacting with a room full of dedicated fans. Of course everyone has their own on-stage persona, but I almost feel as though this came in a more natural way for Heather in this performance compared to the previous time I had seen them. It felt like it flowed better between them and the fans, rather than just to a room of freshmen looking for an excuse to party.

The set was filled with songs from the new album, as well as a good mix of their older discography as well. Obviously, the main objective of the Smitten tour is to promote Smitten, but (unlike some other bands I have seen on album tours previously) there was a really healthy ratio of their different eras throughout the entire set. Speaking previously of fan interaction, the audience was given the opportunity to choose between two songs for the band to perform. The first option was Red, from their 2018 album My Mind Makes Noises, and the second was Unwanted, from their 2022 album Unwanted. In my opinion, this was a fantastic way to get the fans involved and even more emersed than they already were. There was a distinct favouritism for Unwanted, which I have to say was my choice out of the two. This also made the show feel more personal and intimate as each show got a different song individually picked by them. If the energy and excitement wasn’t high enough already, it certainly was now. Everyone was ecstatic with their choice, especially as this song hadn’t been chosen for the whole tour.

Another favourite interaction during the show was before they performed She’s My Religion. Members of the band have been very open about being part of the LGBTQ+ community. This song in particular is about falling deeply in love with someone, specifically within a same sex relationship. During the break before the song began, Heather spoke about how she feels her role is important for other people to look up to. She shared, “I think it’s important you have queer people to look up to. I am queer. I fucking love women. Lesbians always slay. This one is for the gays.”, before the band began to play the song. As a bisexual woman myself, this message meant a lot to me. Growing up, I didn’t have as much representation or anyone to inspire me to understand myself and how I fit into the world. Having people like Heather to look up to now almost heals my inner child. Because of people like her, I now feel seen and understood. I feel like I can openly be myself. For any younger fans of theirs, or even older ones that are still discovering who they are, it is so fantastic that they have that representation so openly in front of them.

After this song, the lights went out and they disappeared. The classic encore. Some may say it’s a cliché, but I think it is a ritual in music that should go on forever. Almost feeling like the show is over but filled with excitement knowing that you still have a couple more songs to go. This final part of the show included their songs Glasgow, from their latest album, and Jealousy from Unwanted. The later of the two is one of my favourite songs of theirs. It was clearly a fan favourite as well. As soon as the music played everyone was jumping, singing and dancing (even more so than before). It was the perfect choice to end the night on an all-time high.

And with that, the 2024 Smitten tour came to a close.

As the crowd started to gather their belongings and make their way out of the venue, I paid close attention to all the little details about the crowd. The room was filled with a range of styles. From brightly coloured hair, Doc Martins and patterned tights to cargo pants, converse and slicked back buns, and even the dads that were just chaperoning their children – there was so much variety. And as I turned around to make my way out, I saw a middle-aged couple standing behind me. The woman was wearing a short skirt and a sparkly body suit, and her husband just in jeans and a band tee. I ended up having a quick chat with them before we left, and I was very intrigued to find out what bought them to the show. I had noticed that throughout the concert the woman had been singing along and had clearly heard the music before. She explained that she had seen them previously at Victorious Festival, and she has been obsessed with them ever since. Her husband joked about how he had been dragged along even though he had no idea who the band was, but he thought they were amazing and thoroughly enjoyed the gig. We continued to talk, and they both told me how they believe that music should be for everyone. It shouldn’t matter how you look or how old you are, you should just be able to go to a show if you love the music. I couldn’t agree with them more.

I think that this was a really fitting end to seeing Pale Waves. The band that advocates for people to feel seen and understood. The message that I took from the show, and the conversation with the lovely couple (who I unfortunately didn’t manage to catch their names), is to feel free to be yourself. Love who you love, see who you love, and simply just love to enjoy music. If you get the chance to see this incredible band, do it. No hesitations. I promise you, you will come out of that show having had the best night.