Newcastle alt-rocker Lizzie Esau has just wrapped up her Autumn UK tour. She kicked off last weekend with a stellar show at Manchester’s Off The Square.

The air was thick with positivity for the evening, Support for which included Angel B Valentine and CHAMP, the latter a four piece indie outfit. There was a really intimate feel from the get-go – no doubt cultivated by the venue’s size – the positivity growing ever heavier as the band repeatedly praised Lizzie.

Lizzie was enchanting from the minute she flitted on stage clad in fairy wings. “Wait Too Late” opened the set, a song with political lyrics and a droning synth that certainly grabbed everyone’s attention. Lizzie grabbed her guitar for next track “Killer”, which itself had a ‘killer‘ riff played by her lead guitarist. The potency of the lyric “my emptiness eats up the morning” was further enhanced by some gorgeous harmonies from the bassist. 

Following up with new release “Bugs” Lizzie explained how the song is about “being an artist”. It sounded even better live, with the guitarist creating a shoegazey tone. As with most of Lizzie’s songs, the lyrics are deeply poetic, and hearing them sung in such a small venue was almost like being in conversation with her. 

It’s hard to define Lizzie’s genre given her wide range. This was showcased brilliantly in her next song “What If I Just Kept Driving”, which had a more contemplative, lo-fi feel. After asking the crowd “do my wings look ok”, Lizzie treated us to an unreleased song called “Die For This”.

This was a powerful slow burner, with some spoken word verses that suggested a Wolf Alice influence. The lyrics were quite indecipherable at times however one line sounded like “my feelings cultivate in spread wings” : an empowering take on her fey appearance.

“The Enemy” was up next, a favourite among her fans. A song of both despair and hope, its vibrant guitar riff is offset by lyrics detailing struggle and frustration.

The last part of Lizzie’s set was full of dancing and crowd singalongs. During “Day In The Life” the connection Lizzie has with her fans was obvious. Not only did she encourage her fans to dance, but came down from the stage and danced along with them.

She returned for an encore by herself, a glimpse into the next song’s vulnerability. A self described “downer” after such high energy, the song was dedicated to Lizzie’s sister. Its exact meaning was unclear, but the effect was undeniable as everyone got out their phone torches.

Promising to end on a high, she brought her band back on stage for the final song “Jellyfish”. Its heavy guitar work and anthemic chorus had people dancing along and even sharing the mic. 

With her hypnotic melodies and the band’s wall of sound tonality, the entire set had a cathartic quality that solidified her undeniable talent for performing.

Lizzie proved she belongs on the stage, blending her signature fairycore aesthetic with raw energy –  imagine if fairies rocked out on stage with guitar in hand.