Remi Wolf was Lightning McQueen at the O2 Leeds Academy

20/12/2024

Music Editor Grace Clift reviews Remi Wolf’s iconic show at Leeds for her 'Big Ideas' tour

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Image by Chuffmedia PR

By Grace Clift

“I was naked all week.”

This was Remi Wolf talking to the crowd about the story behind ‘Alone in Miami’, her song about the week she spent partying with Playboy in Miami. Even when talking about one of her sadder songs, she was the definition of upbeat, bringing energy that the crowd couldn’t help but match. Remi Wolf’s show at the O2 Academy in Leeds was one of the best live gigs I saw in 2024 – and I saw more than 40.

Wolf made sure her audience were ready for a night of dancing by opening with some “warm up exercises”, making everyone shake their hands and make noises. “We’re gonna get so fucking loose!” she screamed at us. The show consisted of a few comedic bits as well as the music, which made it particularly distinctive from the other gigs I’ve seen this year. There was an improv section where she made up a song to do with a word decided by the audience – of course, ‘Yorkshire’ was the unanimous decision. Plus, her guitarist Matt was a recurring character as part of the performance, getting regular mentions in any joke.

But back to the music. The set opened with ‘Cherries & Cream’, which was unexpected. I expected her biggest hits, like ‘Cinderella’ or ‘Toro’ to start the night. However, it was clearly the right choice, and a move that showed trust in the audience to get invested early. ‘Liz’ was fourth and was dedicated to a girl about a metre in front of me actually called Liz, to her delight. Her friends had screamed out for her before it started, and the group were in visible disbelief as Remi Wolf sang to her, “And it was Liz, Liz / She taught me how to live”.

‘Cinderella’ had the audience screaming “Me and the boys in the hotel lobby” back at Remi, who was jumping across the stage. At one point, she got on drums and started playing to incredible skill, only increasing the cheers from the crowd. Audience participation and engagement was at a high I hadn’t experienced at any other show, and Remi Wolf was in complete control. Sometimes, a performer is so clearly an expert at what they’re doing, you can’t think about anything else. This was one of those times.

One standout moment deserves its flowers, and that is her cover of ‘Life is a Highway’. It was originally written by Tom Cochrane but is primarily known through Rascal Flatts’ cover for the Cars movie. When Remi Wolf broke into song with racing flags swinging across the back of the stage, my friend and I could do nothing but hysterically laugh for a minute. The lighting was red, the flags were being held high, and the audience was into it. Remi Wolf is a technically incredible singer, as evidenced by her degree in usic and appearance on American Idol in 2014. Hearing this massive talent mixed with the song from Cars – well, it summarises the energy of the rest of the show. Endlessly fun and such a surprise, this was the perfect choice for the Big Ideas tour.

From Cars to Playboy to Yorkshire, Remi Wolf’s show felt more like an experience than simply a gig. If you’d entered the O2 Academy not knowing who she was, it was impossible to not leave as a fan – and with a certain fondness towards her playful performance. If there’s anyone you must see on their next UK tour, it’s Remi Wolf.