Gig: Hannah Wicklund at The Deaf Institute, Manchester
If Hannah Wicklund’s show was anything to expect from her upcoming Hell in the Hallway tour, then I urge you to grab a ticket.
On entering The Deaf Institute in Manchester, I was struck by its close, comfortable atmosphere. A small venue with charming nature-themed wallpaper, mismatched decorations, and tiered seating behind a standing area. Straight away, on opening the doors, The Deaf Institute was filled with sound by Hannah’s incredible warm-up act, the Dead Writers.
Their frontman, Paul, was full of life, flaunting his incredible vocals, energetic stage presence, and commanding aura. The passionate musicality of the drums was in stark contrast to the drummer’s laid-back, effortless demeanour while the lead and rhythm guitarists served up intricate, impressive instrumentals with straight, almost bored, expressions; the band oozed a sense of ease that made their skill that bit more impressive. The bass guitar cleverly filled the gaps, Naomi’s careful playing was a subtle complement to the Dead Writers’ overall sound.
As upcoming artists, the Dead Writers’ set was a combination of covers and original work that allowed the audience to understand what they’re all about. Their acclaimed ‘Lisa’ demonstrated their talent in song and music writing while their cover of ‘Helter Skelter’ lit up the room as a familiar favourite.
Their New Romantic meets Punk-Rock aesthetic was a lovely juxtaposition to the cosy venue and the perfect introduction to the evening. An artistic exposition that perfectly warmed up the crowd for an evening with Hannah Wicklund.
Hannah’s entrance onto the stage was a statement in itself; with a tiara atop her head of curls and wearing a dress of her own design, Hannah showed up to claim her title as the Queen of Rock.
Playing her first few songs with an accompanying band, Hannah took us through the hits, familiar tracks from ‘Hannah Wicklund & The Stepping Stones’. With parrots pasted on the walls around her, her bare feet, and her palpable enjoyment it felt like she was at one with the venue and everyone under its roof.
Hannah then asked her band to leave the stage and gave us a taste of what we can expect from ‘The Prize’. Playing without her male band was symbolic of her rediscovered independence, as we discussed in our previous interview, Hannah stood tall as the creator and owner of her music. Her vocals were strong, and more powerful even than her recorded sound, it is evidence of her multifaceted musical ability that she could retain such formidable vocals while also playing guitar, the talk box, and engaging with her crowd.
We were allowed to connect with Hannah, taken back to when she was a child and had written ‘Versus the Villain’. She told the story of how the song had been a school project that ended up being reused plenty of times. A song not on her Spotify, it felt as if we were sharing a moment with Hannah and understanding the child behind the woman she has become.
Welcoming her band back to the stage, Hannah performed Strawberry Moon, the track she has since named her label after. The instrumental was incredible, a perfect expression of her talent and her ability to gel with her band, playing in soothing harmony that almost forces you to sway along with them.
‘Bomb Through the Breeze’ her voice was commanding and her guitar playing was controlled and clear. A clear favourite of the crowd and of the band, it was near impossible to avoid nodding your head along with them as they delivered crisp, clear notes that left deep impressions. It has always been a powerful track, with hard-hitting lyrics and resonating drums, but it took on a whole new life in its live performance.
What makes Hannah’s shows so special, and something you should be clamouring for a ticket to see, is the sense of storytelling. The crowd is permitted to feel as if they are sharing in Hannah’s journey, watching her develop from her older songs to the future that ‘The Prize’ represents.
