Isle of Wight five-piece band Wet Leg performed a sold out show to rapturous fans this week at Portsmouth’s Guildhall.
Pompey was the closest the band were able to get to the Island whilst on their latest UK/Europe tour, that will see them perform as headliners at this year’s Hogmanay Concert in Edinburgh on New Year’s Eve, before heading off to Australia in February 2026.
Significant artistic evolution
OnTheWight was lucky enough to see the band perform two shows in London earlier in the year (under the pseudonym Uma Thurman) where they debuted tracks from the (at that point) unreleased second album, Moisturizer.
Thursday night’s show, several months and dozens of shows later, saw the band commanding the stage with a new-found confidence and power that marks a significant artistic evolution.
We started off down in the stalls area, but as it was pretty crammed near the front (and I am quite short), we moved up to the Circle for a better view (thanks to Domino for the seats). The show brimmed with energy, confidence and a noticeably heavier sound, with each song landing with more bite, and the band carried themselves with a sureness that shaped the whole night.
Having seen chatter online about sound issues at other venues on the tour, we’re pleased to say the sound at Portsmouth Guildhall was superb.
A more forceful live sound
As mentioned before, the new album has brought with it an edgy new-look and electric energy for Rhian Teasdale, who stepped out with a presence that filled the room. Gone is the cutesy cottage-core and shy interactions with the audience, making way for a strong confident performer and an opportunity for her obvious star quality to shine. Rhian threw herself into the vocals and drew the crowd in with ease. The extent of her vocal range is quite extraordinary.
Although fellow Wet Leg founder, Hester Chambers, has chosen to position herself away from the centre stage (compared to tours of 2022-24), her contribution continues to be just as significant, delivering fantastic guitar riffs and harmonies throughout – not to mention her excellent song-writing qualities (Don’t Speak is one of my favourite tracks on the album).
It was also touching to see Rhian often drifting back towards Hester, sharing tender and fun moments during the hours and 15 minute set. Hester has such a beautiful voice that it would have been lovely to hear her sing some of her songs from the first and second albums.
The lads
The former touring band (Josh, Henry and Ellis) are now solid band members and all helped create the second album, which is already up for a Grammy, and I’ve no doubt there’ll be other nominations to follow.
Josh Mobaraki added an extra energy at the front of the stage on guitar and synth, hitting the crowd with big, swaggering chords. Ellis Durand on bass carried the venue with a heavy, rolling groove. Henry Holmes, second to none on drums, shifted gears smoothly between simmering verses and explosive choruses.
The band leaned hard into a louder, more muscular sound, with their new approach adding weight to familiar tracks, and giving their newer material a real punch.
Balancing favourites with new directions
The set list moved through older hits and recent songs, keeping the venue locked in from start to finish.
Fan favourites such as “Chaise Longue” and “Ur Mum” still electrified the audience, while tracks like “Catch These Fists”, “Pillow Talk” and “Mange Tout” showed how their sound has grown.
Islanders crossed the Solent in healthy numbers, and the older-leaning crowd responded warmly to the band’s evolution. Every cheer suggested they enjoyed watching Wet Leg stretch beyond their debut-era charm.
We left just before final song finished in order to catch the last Fastcat home, so missed what we expect (judging by the applause after every other song on the set list) would have been ecstatic ovation. And well deserved it would have been.
Huge congratulations to Rhian, Hester, Josh, Ellis and Henry – and the large team that supports them when they tour. They are flying the flag magnificently for the Isle of Wight.
Full Wet Leg set list
- Catch These Fists
- Wet Dream
- Oh No
- Supermarket
- Liquidise
- Jennifer’s Body
- Being in Love
- Pond Song
- Rhian Interaction
- Ur Mum
- U and Me at Home
- Don’t Speak
- Davina McCall
- 11:21
- Pillow Talk
- Too Late Now
- Angelica
- Chaise Longue
- CPR
- Mange Tout
A standout support act
The support act, Faux Real, opened the night with a burst of art-pop theatre. The French-American duo swept through their set with sharp choreography and bold vocals.
For their final two tracks, they canningly launched themselves off the stage and into the crowd. They worked the room with effortless charisma and had the audience bouncing along within seconds.
Their immersive finale wrapped the night in a sense of playfulness before Wet Leg stepped up.
