Sydney side ‘Wispers’ came together last night to celebrate their shoegaze queen, as Wisp performed her first ever Australian headline show. Who are they? A fun, diverse group of fans who have latched onto her over the last couple of years. A mix of OG fans from her 2023 viral TikTok moment, along with OG shoegazers or second wave nu-gazers looking for that next generation of dream vocals. And after playing the Everything Ecstatic stage at St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival last weekend, there was sure to be brand new lifelong fans.
Leaning into the calm
Supporting Wisp was Melbourne four-piece Armlock, who quietly took control as they hit the stage. Now, after a busy day in the city, you could be forgiven for initially wanting them to turn up the energy! But this was a feeling that wouldn’t last for long, as the crowd seemingly took a collective breath and met them in the calm. Leaning into the calm also revealed new depths to the music, like the smooth harmonies of lead vocalist Simon Lim and Bassist Georgia Smith and the clean layering of instrumental sounds. This was undoubtably the skilled work of the bands founding members who are both sound engineers.
The melodic set held the attention of the crowd which had grown significantly by the last song. It was clear this crowd was locked and loaded for the main event!
An ethereal presence
As the 21-year-old Californian took to the stage, the crowd erupted, and a smile broke across her face. Explaining how happy she was to be in Sydney, Natalie R. Lu aka Wisp shared how she had spent time at the beach and shopping since Laneway Festival – and course rocked the Triple J, Like A Version studio covering Green Day’s “Last Night on Earth”.
Then as the overhead lights dimmed, the backlights brightened to create the ethereal silhouette beloved by fans of this genre. The first chords revealed the set was opening with “Pandora” and with that the journey began.
Making moments
Wisp is a great example of how new artists are no longer restricted by how they were ‘discovered’. For Lu, becoming a viral artist on TikTok was never about grabbing 15 minutes of fame. It served as a legitimate way to reach audiences who recognised her talent and supported her.
And you can tell how much she means to them. Mid-set, stepping away from her guitar Wisp sang “Serpentine” causing the crowd to sway their arms back and forth. Smart phones were filming, preserving the moment. And talking of moments.. a moment for the Hello Kitty guitar that arrived for Wisp to finish her set! Teasing the crowd about the name of a song that’s also a colour, Wisp launched into the sweetest version of Coldplay’s “Yellow”. Her dreamy voice made it almost impossible not to sing or sway along with her. Closing the show by honouring the song that started it all, Wisp returned to the stage to sing “Your face”. It is safe to say fans floating out of the venue, home with full hearts and camera reels.
You can still catch Wisp at the Croxton Bandroom in Melbourne tomorrow night. Click HERE for ticket availability.
Thank you to Handsome Tours and Laneway Festival for a double dose of ‘Wispcore’ this week. We look forward to the next instalment.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
All photos from Pete Dovgan – you can see more photos from the night HERE
