Wet Leg return with a tour in support of the launch of their second studio album Moisturiser, due on the 11th of July, in a new and improved form. Abandoning the focus on the duo Teasdale & Chambers, the band presented itself as a five-piece alt-indie rock outfit, with Rhian Teasdale ready to surge to the status of charismatic lead singer and rising star.

The message couldn’t be less clear. After an overwhelming support act by Katy J Pearson and her rock inspired by Kate Bush—and a T-shirt showcasing Laura Dern’s name (which summarised a few of the good things the 80s brought to the present era)—Wet Leg entered the stage of a sold-out Edinburgh Usher Hall, with Teasdale presenting herself by flexing her biceps to introduce the new album’s first single (released last April), Catch These Fists.

From what I’ve gathered, and from the lyrics of the song, Moisturizer appears to be an album full of ‘love songs’, shifting away from the couple dynamic and standard gender roles, and instead focusing on the dominant role of women in the ‘relationship’ (not a standard relationship either), empowering them in a way that goes hand-in-hand with the new shape of the band and Teasdale’s central role in this chapter of Wet Leg’s music.

The track is very energetic and giddy, prompting fans to scream from the very first notes—a prelude (as I caught a glimpse of) to what might become Wet Leg’s summer.

The first song is followed by Liquidize—also from the new album—and by already classic tracks from their debut, like Supermarket, Ur Mum (one of my favourites), Wet Dream, and Too Late Now.

On stage, while the chemistry between Teasdale and Hester Chambers is more than obvious, the band showcased their solid bond with Henry Holmes on drums, Josh Mobaraki on guitar and synthesiser, and Ellis Durand on bass.

The band gave us other unreleased songs, already revealed in a secret London show back at the beginning of this spring. Two of these tracks made me particularly curious: Jennifer’s Body, which struck a chord with my millennial sensibilities, and Pillow Talk (named Pillowfart on their set list at the foot of the stage).

The crowd never stopped singing and dancing in the bothersomely balmy venue until the end, when Wet Leg closed with their instant classic Chaise Longue (or cheeselong, as they named it), and their same-day released new single CPR.

At the risk of repeating myself, Wet Leg, with their metamorphosis, are clearly trying to place themselves at the centre of attention—and they surely will during this festival season.

Teasdale had already stolen many hearts that night, and she will no doubt steal more at the upcoming shows. So, brace yourselves—because this is going to be an incandescent summer, and Wet Leg will be its lead character.

Article: Marco Cornelli