By Tilly Walder
As sweet smoke plumed, eyes locked on the Portsmouth Guildhall stage last week in anticipation for the arrival of the Island’s homegrown talent, Wet Leg.
Rhian Teasdale commandeered the stage from start to finish, with a calm confidence that even many veteran professionals lack, while Hester Chambers matched her with understated cool on guitar, and Henry Holmes, Josh Mobaraki, and Ellis Durand provided an energetic backbone on drums, keys, and bass.
The set moved with a perfect blend of old favourites and tracks from their new album, Moisturiser.
Fan favourites, like ‘Chaise Longue’ and ‘Too Late Now’, ignited the crowd, while newer tracks such as ‘mangetout’ and ‘davina mccall’ added richer sounds to the mix, with the audience embracing them just as enthusiastically – a clear sign of the new album’s impact.
Each song landed with crisp precision and resulting fanfare, while the intricately woven lyrics spun off the audience’s tongues in a chant, proving the band’s enormous and devoted following.
The balance of first-album hits and richer new material kept the crowd hooked, proving their evolution as a band now well-established in the indie-rock scene, without losing the mischievous charm that first drew fans in.
Half way through the set, Rhian glanced at the crowd, and asked: “Anyone here from the Isle of Wight?” The resulting roar of recognition made her grin; a grounding moment that highlighted just how far they have come.
The visuals stayed understated: just soft lights, shifting colours, and that ever-bellowing smoke. Wet Leg didn’t rely on theatrics; they didn’t need to. Their charm, stage presence, and razor-sharp songs carried everything.
The audience was enthusiastically engaged from start to finish, and it’s clear that Wet Leg’s playful charm, catchy rhythms, and magnetic stage presence have secured them a devoted fanbase that will just keep on growing.
With every show on the tour sold out, it’s thanks to Simon at Black Arts PR – the band’s Island-based PR company, that we were able to experience their remarkable live performance.
Isle of Wight Observer