Live: The Wombats Take Brooklyn Steel
Liverpool invaded Brooklyn Steel this week with The Wombats coming to play supported by Red Rum Club. A packed house of fans awaited the band sporting band tees, various wombat logos, and friendship bracelets spelling out “The Wombats NYC.”
Formed back in 2003, The Wombats have journeyed through the years, from their debut album A Guide to Love, Loss, & Desperation to their latest release Fix Yourself, Not the World. Along this musical evolution, they've managed to preserve that quintessential Wombatty essence. Confessional indie rock with a glimmer of dance-pop that captivates their listeners.
Liverpool sextet Red Rum Club opened the night with their unique sound. A solitary trumpet puts a twist on the RCC's alternative sound. With a solid collection of albums under their belt, Red Rum Club is carving out its place on the music scene. RCC filled the stage, and not just because there were six members. Joe Corby's trumpet resonated throughout the room, while guitarists Tom William and Michael McDermott delivered tight riffs. Bassist Simon Hepworth laid down groovy basslines, and Neil Lawson's drums kept everything in sync. Vocalist Francis Doran kept the energy up with his insane stage presence, jumping from side to side on stage and imploring folks to join in on the singing with arms outstretched.
By teaching the crowd some quick lyrics, the band got the audience to join in. “Honey” proved popular as the entire venue yelled, “Honey! You’ve got a history,” as the band began to play. Francis engaged the audience further, inquiring if anyone was named Eleanor, and with two Eleanors in the room, the band launched into their song "Eleanor." Going out with a bang, RCC played “Would You Rather Be Lonely?” a song that commands you to dance.
With their orange pixelated mascot as their backdrop, The Wombats took the stage. Dan Haggis slid into place behind the drum kit, with a stuffed wombat plushie atop the bass drum, Matthew Murphy strode over to his guitar and keys, and Tord Knudsen picked up his bass to launch into the psychedelic “Cheetah Tongue” off their 2018 album Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life.
You can’t play in NYC without playing your song with New York in the title. Coming off of their first album, “Moving to New York,” is one of The Wombats' signature songs, retaining its popularity from 2006 to the present.
Full of energy, The Wombats have phenomenal stage presence. With Dan pounding on the drums, Matthew and Tord used the entire stage, jumping around and interacting with fans. The band even had wombat mascots come on stage to dance.
The enduring appeal of The Wombats was evident in their setlist, spanning songs from various albums across their career. Whether it was a 2022 release or a track from 2006, the audience knew every word.
“Let’s go back in time to 2006,” Matthew announced, eliciting cheers from the crowd who knew what was coming.“This magical year when the sky was filled with raspberries and honey dropped off every street corner and we needed a way to begin our first album. We came up with this.” The acapella sounds “Tales of Girls, Boys, and Marsupials” filled the venue as everyone joined in. Launching directly from the first song off the album into the second, “Kill the Director” followed with its iconic “I’ve met someone that makes me feel seasick” opening line.
The oldies weren’t the only goodies. Playing songs off their most recent album such as “This Car Drives All by Itself,” “Ready for the High,” and “If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming With You,” had the entire venue singing along. With their electric dance-rock sound, the audience was grooving. From the head boppers to those throwing their bodies around, The Wombats had everyone moving.
See photos from the show here.