Warpaint, Somerset House gig review: Art-rock band build the crowd up into a quiet euphoria

Warpaint’s angsty art-rock makes them seem like an odd choice for a summer show in the grandiose neoclassical outdoor square at the centre of Somerset House, near London’s Southbank.

But tonight, their languorous instrumentals and otherworldly, vocal harmonies meld together in the balmy July air and diffuse across the crowd to an affecting, ethereal backdrop of stage smoke and deep purple and lilac lighting.

When they perform live, it almost seems as though they're wasted on record.

The show’s cleverly-curated setlist gives their atmospheric, post-rock-pop space to breathe, and gradually builds the crowd up into a quiet euphoria.

They bravely kick off with "Heads Up", the title track off their 2016 album. It’s brave because it starts with a minute of vocals, sparsely embellished with some piano chords, before giving way to the upbeat indie pop that they have dabbled with in their latest work.

Mirroring the band, the crowd are hard to read. They stand thoughtfully, swaying to the music. But when the song ends they break out into keen applause.

Next is "Undertow", from 2010's The Fool which hurled them into the spotlight and which, when performed live, becomes less plodding. Instead, it showcases the thought that goes into the band’s music, particularly Stella Mozgawa’s impressive drumming.

But the mood of the evening really changes with "Elephants" and it’s deliciously wonky guitar riffs. From then, the band maintains its momentum, having built up to their angrier, more upbeat songs, by thrashing straight into "Beetles": a powerful dissection of what it means to break down emotionally.

It’s now that they give the crowd what they want: "Love is To Die". The muted crowd suddenly musters the energy to dance, some jump onto their friend's shoulders for a better view, or in the hope that the band will see them.

“We have a new song, are you ready?” teases singer Jenny Lee Lindberg as the show nears its end. “Yes!” the crowd sings back, as they dance to "New Song", an uncharacteristic synth-pop tune.

Five albums into their career, Warpaint have only very recently shifted their focus to poppier sounds. And they might not be breaking any new ground, but they are a tight ship with impressive stamina, serving up their fans exactly what they want.