Wolfmother @ Webster Hall, 3/3/16
All aboard the gypsy caravan for a one way ticket into the void. The mighty Wolfmother took Webster Hall like a proverbial maternal wolf protecting her young by aiming right for the jugular of the offender and not letting go. In layman’s terms, Wolfmother is a band that absolutely needs to be seen live. From the thunderous backbeat provided by drummer Alex Carapetis (of NIN and Voidz fame) to the Iommic riffing and Plant-esque wailing of frontman Andrew Stockdale, the band was in the tipest of topest shape which could be felt by the New York City crowd reaction. I will devote a whole sentence to praise the showmanship as well as musicianship of Ian Peres, not only was he handling the low end with ease but would often switch during songs to the keyboard. Leaping from the drum riser and even from the keyboard (dudes got great balls of fire) while playing groove drenched bass lines definitely enchanted the live experience. The set was comprised of songs from every release with the majority being from their debut (fan favorites “Woman,” “Joker and the Thief” and “Dimension” were included). The band also promoted their newest release Victorious, which gave the set a more polished yet somehow grittier and at times a more jam oriented show. In short, even if you are unfamiliar with the music of Wolfmother, they put on one hell of a show and are a must see for fans of guitar driven rock music.