Patrick Wolf

Patrick Wolf's shows are amazing, and you'll rarely if ever see the same show twice -- even if you're seeing him back to back at the same venue, as he hand-curates his set list from his huge discography thoroughly.

If you don't know him, his genre can be a little hard to pin down. Patrick Wolf is a classically-trained violinist who started a punk zine when he was a teenager and put out his first album not long afterward: he's based in both folk and punk traditions, and is an instrumentalist who hops easily between synth and floor harp, ukelele and violin. Celtic reels weave into angry love songs, synth brightens a revolution, harp turns a pop love song into a soundtrack. His recent music has been more solidly 'pop' but it would be a mistake to simply categorize it this way.

The experience can vary quite a bit, depending on if you're catching him playing a fully electric/acoustic show or a small stripped-down acoustic gig. I've seen both. Both almost always seem intimate: he jokes with the audience, with his fellow musicians on stage, tells stories, and you can feel for a bit as if you're the friend of this multi-instrumentalist (even afterward, when he usually will hang around to say hello to devoted fans). If I had anything bad to say about it, it's that he knows his own flaws too well, so occasionally he'll interrupt himself to apologize for something the audience hasn't caught.

There's a little more room for theatricality in a big stage and Patrick does not disappoint in this regard - everything from stage presence to costuming makes this a theater experience as much as a show. A good portion of the audience will be covered in glitter and more than likely Patrick will be too at some point (though, maybe a little more subdued as of late...which is not to say at all subdued). At a smaller venue, some of this is of course condensed, but the unique atmosphere is incredibly worth it to hear his lyrically incredible songs close up and rearranged.

I am definitely gushing, but there's a reason that I jumped on a megabus to see three of his shows back to back - and, on what was also a romantic vacation to the UK, took a couple-hours train to Brighton to barely eat before standing in line in the rain with my partner for the Patrick Wolf gig and then upon heading back immediately got in line for the London show. His shows are amazing and should not be missed, and so is his music.

I've been a massive fan of Patrick since hearing his album 'The Bachelor' back in 2009, thanks to my brother putting it on my iPod, which led me to also including his previous material on said iPod. As of last night's Dublin gig, I have now seen him a total of four times since 2011 (each time in Dublin) and he always knows how to put on a show for his audience as it always turns out to be such a joyful event.

The show, which turned out to be his first solo outing (i.e. without backing musicians) in more than a decade, was held following him receiving an award from Trinity College Dublin the previous day for his contribution to the arts - an award he very much deserves. The setlist was mostly confined to material from his first three albums and he was on top form as usual, both vocally and in humour, stopping some songs just after he had started them and regaling everyone with stories of how he created said songs before restarting and also telling us the story of how he came to be known as Patrick Wolf, which is detailed in the song 'Paris' from his debut album 'Lycanthropy'.

Other highlights included his instrument playing, which ranged from piano playing to using a ukulele, and jokingly telling the audience who joined in singing during the encore performance of 'The Magic Position' that we should all go home and look up the lyrics when a number of people sang the wrong lyric (I believe it was purposely done just so we could see how he would respond). *lol* And there was also the fact that he will finally be releasing new material in 2018, six years after the release of his acoustic album 'Sundark & Riverlight'.

I don't think there is much more that can be said except I will tell you that if you have never been to see this wonderful artist live please do yourselves a favour and try to catch him whenever he comes to a venue near you as he is such a unique performer, whose shows will leave you with such a big smile on your face.

South London singer/songwriter Patrick Wolf tends to split opinion when asked if you have heard of him. It seems that you are either a devoted fan or you are completely oblivious to his six LPs. There is definitely a feeling of enchantment within his music and it is not for the fair-weather listener, albums such as 'Lycanthropy' and 'Wind in the Wires' have a romance about them which captivates and engages the listener and turns them into a devout fan.

The live shows have a similar effect as fans pack into venues over and over again as Patrick consistently proves he is able to adapt and change his performance. His latest run of cathedral dates was bewitching as he showcased his ten year anniversary album 'Sundark and Riverlight' which features reworked versions of earlier tracks. This maturity and sense of reflection is applaudable for an artist of just 31 years of age. Including fan favourites such as 'The City' and a cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'Gypsy'. Wolf demonstrates his unmatched potential and immeasurable artistic intelligence.

Actuació: Centre Artesà Tradicionàrius.

Feia tant temps que esperava veure en Patrick que acceptava qualsevol cosa. Un concert intimista i tirant cap a acústic no era el que meu jo de 2011 esperaria però la màgia d'en Patrick funciona a tot arreu.

Sentat gairebé a primera fila, en Patrick ens va interpretar peces del seu nou EP, The Night Safari i alguns temes del passat. A remarcar d'aquests Nowhere Game i Night Safari, Hard Times, interpretada gairebé a l'inici del concert, Bluebells i To the Lighthouse a meitat i Magic Position al final.

En aquesta última, que era un encore esperat, la gent es va retindre de ballar com una boja tot i el lloc i l'ambient, enfocat més a veure un espectacle, i les cadires que teníem a tocar.

Un 10/10, millor concert de l'any (per ara)

Patrick Wolf Stereo Glasgow. Patrick Wolf was amazing. Voice on top form. Put his heart and soul into it. I loved it. Venue very hot no ventilation would be only complaint. Loved it. Ran out merchandise I wanted a bag. Last one sold in front of me.lol. great show loved it and got videos