Wu Lyf
Corsica Studios, London
03/02/2011

Stripped to the waist, Ellery Roberts is proving that all of the hype, intrigue and fascination surrounding his band has been worthwhile. Oblivious he may be, but as his bony frame shakes the chorus of ‘Heavy Pop’ from the depths of his gut, past his heart and out through his battered larynx, the reason people have fallen for the mysterious enigma that is Wu Lyf is crystal clear tonight. These four Mancunians have established themselves as the most evasive band in Britain, rarely performing shows outside of their hometown and resolutely refusing to play the game. The intrigue is magnetic but there comes a time when the flirtation turns into something more real, think of this as a first date then.

Wu Lyf, you suspect, feed on the pressure. Far from being arrogant or appearing above their audience, tonight the band seem lost in their own world, having left the window open for all to see. Roberts is an intense and unforgettable performer, but his bandmates back him with a sound that flits between sparkling and cavernous with a rhythm section pounding a self-affirmed beat destined for far bigger venues than this South London archway. Connected to his organ throughout, Roberts only separates himself from the instrument to sip from a teacup between songs. The cacophony of noise he and his band make is not ground-breakingly unique, a meeting point of Nick Cave and Wild Beasts as displayed on ’Spitting It Concrete Like The Golden Sun God’ for example, however, the fire burning inside Wu Lyf, a light that only shines in the souls of a select few, is a truly special one off. 

As the fun and games come to an end, now is the time for Wu Lyf to show the world what they’ve been hiding.

David Renshaw