Wet Leg played LA for the third time in four months on Wednesday night – this time at the Fonda Theatre, the biggest venue yet.
When I covered them back in December, the duo played two nights at two venues clearly too small for their already rabid fanbase. While, yes, they could have sold many more tickets, they were two special nights for those in attendance of the fairly small venues and provided a nice introduction to the band many think are the next big thing.
Wednesday, however, they leveled up and hit the Fonda in Hollywood. While this venue was still likely too small for them (tickets sold out almost immediately), it acted as another stepping stone in their calculated and methodical rise in the indie consciousness.
The show opened with Momma, a 90s-punk-grunge revival of sorts. The band, another duo of two women, have a number of killer new songs they’ve just released that I was dying to hear live. Leading the way was “Medicine”, an instant ear worm boasting one of the best choruses this year.
After a 7 or 8 song set by Momma, Wet Leg took the stage. In December, I was surprised at how polished and ‘big’ their live sound already was. In just a couple months, it had taken even more steps forward. The drums were huge; their harmonies were on point; the banter was consistently engaging and funny.
The two were once again backed by a fabulous band that ran through their new album like its been out for years. This time, a cover was added into the setlist that allowed the lead singer Rhian Teasdale to leave her guitar behind and have a little bit of fun on stage.
Highlights of the evening included the re-worked “Too Late Now”, the massive “Angelica”, and, of course, the inescapable and incomparable “Chaise Lougue”. If you don’t believe the hype on these two, you’re not paying attention.
Wet Leg’s debut album comes out just around the corner – April 7th on Domino. They’ve also announced a huge tour that spans most of Europe through November.
Wet Leg
Momma
Photos by Andrew Ameter | Exclusively for Music, Why Not!