Oh look, there’s Jenn Wasner taking photos of herself. That we continue to stand peering at this awkward affair is testament enough of our admiration for Wye Oak. Assisting Callers with their spasm-inducing closing number, it’s difficult to grasp whether Wasner’s completely oblivious to the bewildered crowd or whether it’s all just part of some self-aware performance. Nevertheless it makes for a befuddling, if not cringe-worthy introduction.

Exploring the boundaries between alt-rock melody and a super-fuzz fervour that harks back to the birth of grunge, Wye Oak fail to adhere to any singular genre; and they’re all the more fierce for it. Far from being constrained by nostalgic traits whilst still tending to all its preserved beauty – never the more pertinent than in ‘Holy Holy’ - Wye Oak are a wild force to behold, and tonight’s sell-out crowd know it all too well.

Their ravenous tendency to change trait mid-song though, as demonstrated in ‘Dog’s Eyes’ where a new-wave inspired beat gives way to a violent, brooding thunderclap of a guitar crunch, becomes a test of endurance. Bipolar in nature, Wye Oak’s formulaic craft perishes into familiarity and the songs begin to blur into one another. Trying to decipher the subtle moments from their ‘Civilian’ LP from the wall of feedback that lingers becomes next to impossible.

Seemingly unbothered by the haul of noise, the Baltimore twosome divulge further into darker passages and manage to cut their way through with the likes of ‘Fish’ and ‘The Alter’, arising from the depth, smiles blazing. The true spectacle of Andy Stack’s multi-instrumentation as he simultaneously beats the drums and wizards away at a mesh of keyboards is a wonder to behold. And Wasner’s playful demeanour, as she acknowledges and soon voices her adoration for her cohort of admirers, reveals a delicate side to the band. And it’s in this moment that we bear witness to Wye Oak’s true attraction. Absent of false pretence, this is a couple of friends roaring from the depths of their lungs, wanting you to know just how much fun they’re having.

In hindsight it turns out that Wasner was just having an awesome time on stage; capturing a keepsake through a lens. It soon becomes clear that she’s not the only one feeling the Kodak moment after a blistering encore of ‘For Prayer’.

Thomas Hewson