O2 Academy, Oxford 15th October 2025
Up until their last album cycle, there has always been some dissonance between Pale Waves’ image and their sound. While their charcoal eyeliner and fishnets image promised 70s trad-goth, listening to a few minutes of their music reveals they sound nothing like that; it’s instead peppered with sparkling synths and catchy pop hooks – much more The 1975 than Siouxie and the Banshees. But the release of their fourth album, Smitten (2024), changed that. Gone were the pretences of Pale Waves trying to be a band they weren’t. While the lace and jet-black hair dye remained, Smitten added a dash of glam and sparkle to the Pale Waves mix. All of a sudden, they no longer felt like a band having a mild identity crisis, but rather one that had found precisely who they were.
New tracks, like ‘Perfume’ and ‘Glasgow’, make an appearance, as do old favourites like ‘Television Romance’ and ‘Red’
Seeing them live on the Still Smitten tour confirms this. Their show in Oxford is Pale Waves at their best, with newfound, dazzling confidence emanating from them at all times. Lead singer Heather Baron-Gracie struts on stage, clad in a leopard-print fur coat, looking (and sounding) like a glammed-up Dolores O’Riordan. The influence is glaringly apparent, but she plays the part so well that it hardly matters. The sole exception to this is the mid-set cover of ‘Zombie’ and accompanying O’Riordan admiration-speech, which momentarily tip the scale from admiration to pastiche.
Despite this, for the rest of the gig, they shine, making the show undoubtedly their own. New tracks, like ‘Perfume’ and ‘Glasgow’, make an appearance, as do old favourites like ‘Television Romance’ and ‘Red’. And with their recent embrace of all things glitz and glam, even their ‘heavier’ tracks, like ‘You’re So Vain’ or ‘Lies’, get a coat of sparkling, shimmering paint. Equally, twinkling synths tie each song together, making it feel less like a collection of songs played live and more like one continuous composition. Even the stage gets a makeover, with chandelier lamp props reflecting dazzling jewel tones from the venue’s lights.
It’s a moment of pure, unadulterated bliss, shared by both the couple and everyone else in the room
The band, as always, is magnetic. Baron-Gracie has mastered her stage presence, expertly combining crowd-pleasing fan interactions with engaging with her fellow bandmates, occasionally taking a moment to strut, twirl, or act out a lyric. When she drapes a lesbian pride flag around her shoulders, the crowd roars in response – she has them in the palm of her hand and she knows it.
Above all else, there is a sense of camaraderie and support in the venue. With non-binary Ciára Doran at the drums and Baron-Gracie, proudly gay, at the helm, they have created a safe space for queer fans. And nothing demonstrates this safe space better than their live shows. When Baron-Gracie asks “Who here is a lesbian?”, a loving roar erupts, followed by a chorus of cheers and whoops. There is even a pause in the show to congratulate a couple who gets engaged a few rows from the front. It’s a moment of pure, unadulterated bliss, shared by both the couple and everyone else in the room.
An encore of ‘She’s My Religion’ and ‘Jealousy’ brought one by effusive cheers of “One more song!” brings the show to an electric close. The crowd, jumping and swaying from side to side, is transfixed, as the band give it their all for two final songs.
It’s a great show, and a testament to how far they’ve come. Over four albums and years of performing, Pale Waves have mastered their craft, and along with it, their sound. They might occasionally overrely on their influences, but the joyous atmosphere they create at their gigs is second to none. So if you want a fun dance, your spirits raised, and a brilliant performance, there’s nowhere better to go than a Pale Waves show.
Words and images: Sophie Flint Vázquez
TrueStyleMusic 