From an audience of one to 45,000: Wolf Alice's homecoming gig shows how far they've come

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The band played their biggest-ever headline show to 45,000 fans at London's Finsbury Park By Mark Savage Music correspondent Published 47 minutes ago Something special occurs during Wolf Alice's big homecoming show at Finsbury Park. As they play Bros - a song about the enduring bonds of friendship - the video screens flash up old clips of the band as scrappy newcomers, driving in cramped vans, downing shots and playing to an audience of one at Coventry's Kasbah club. They don't make a big deal of it. Nobody on stage mentions the video. But the implication is clear: look how far we've come. Formed 16 years ago by singer Ellie Rowsell and guitarist Joff Oddie, the band have slowly, but confidently, become the best young rock band in the UK. On Sunday, they cemented their status by headlining their own mini-festival, topping a predominantly female bill that also included The Last Dinner Party, Lykke Li and Rachel Chinouriri. That solitary fan shown on the big screen has expanded into a crowd of 45,000 - Wolf Alice's biggest-ever audience. The emotion is amplified by the fact they're playing in the north London neighbourhood where they met. "I grew up over there and I live over there," says bassist Theo Ellis, gesturing towards the horizon from the stage. "You have no idea how much this means to us." Other bands might dwell on the moment, making a meal of the milestone. Wolf Alice are too cool for that. Drummer Joel Amey punctures the pomposity during The Sofa - hamming up his accent as he sings about feeling "stuck in Seven Sisters, Norf Lahn-dan ". Rowsell has to stifle her laughter as she finishes the song. Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Wolf Alice are the only band to receive a Mercury Prize nomination for each of their first four albums - winning the award in 2018 for Visions of a Life Still, the mile-wide smiles they wear throughout this tight, 100-minute show illustrate how proud they're feeling. "It's going to be so special," Ellis told me earlier this year. "Being able to play outside in the dark feels so exciting. It just builds a really special atmosphere." A day before the show, the feelings were more nuanced. "Feeling cheeky hehehehehe and also sick," the band posted on Instagram. They needn't have worried. Wolf Alice deliver a triumphant rock show that highlights the versatility of their songbook; and their growth as performers. They strut onto the stage at 7:50pm, opening with Bloom Baby Bloom - a song that shifts from a funky piano intro to a titanic rock freak-out, with Rowsell's choirgirl vocals suddenly becoming a throat-shedding wail. It's a thrilling start, and the pace barely lets up. They gallop straight into White Horses, a highlight of their recent album The Clearing , before delving into their back catalogue for Formidable Cool - whose sleazy riff allows Rowsell to prowl along the catwalk, looking every inch a glam rock goddess. Image caption, "Say hello to the big ball!"