Aldous Harding @ Albert Hall, Manchester - 8th June 2026
- Trev Eales
- Jun 12
- 4 min read
Aldous Harding: The Art of the Unsettling
An enigmatic shapeshifting performance of strange beauty, silent tension and songs delivered through every fibre of the body
Words and Photos - Trev Eales
Tonight at Manchester’s Albert Hall is an all New Zealand affair.
Opening act Vera Ellen initially present as a quiet, delicate, melodic indie pop band; but beginnings can be deceptive. After a couple of non-descript opening numbers things become darker and more impassioned. When It’s Over delivers a tale of romantic love gone sour while Gayfever proves as lyrically strange as its title suggests.
Mid set, vocalist Vera unexpectedly pauses to announce, “It’s hard up here. We’re struggling.” With more than a hint of unseen emotional turbulence they launch into Broadway Junction. It’s an emotive tour de force brimming with impassioned vocals that just build and build; a song in which our singer battles self-loathing and suicidal urges. Will she jump at Broadway Junction or will her lover make that call to save her soul? Vera Ellen are definitely a band worth checking out live.
Aldous Harding’s reputation precedes her; an artist impossible to categorise. Tonight she treats us to a mesmerising evening of ambient, indie folk-pop, laced with tinges of jazz and off kilter rhythms. It’s a sound overlaid by her woozy, constantly changing vocal range as she performs songs packed with weird lyrically imagery.
She opens with Train on the Island, title track of her recently released album. It’s a song powered by rhythm as bass, drums and piano serve as backdrop to sympathetic vocals. Beyond the chorus it’s difficult to decipher as voice merges with instrumental sound. Above all though, it’s our first taste of Aldous as performer; Aldous performing the art of the slow. Standing at the microphone, her singing’s accompanied by movement. Arms, hands, and sometimes legs, slowly gyrate. It’s hardly “in time” with the music but is somehow in sympathy; strange but oddly mesmerising.
I Ate The Most brings her voice more to the fore. It’s performed half spoken with more husky tones; strange enigmatic lyrics drawing the listener in. But what is she saying? “I can’t prove that I ate the most, but I did.” It’s clearly referencing an eating disorder, lyrically oblique enough to lose your reviewer but eliciting a passionate response from her audience.
The tone changes again for One Stop, a song propelled by an urgent keyboard refrain before morphing into more traditional guitar strumming with Aldous’ voice echoing early Joni Mitchell. Treasure follows, as tasteful guitar picking and piano compliment delicate, fragile vocals with a more folky ballad feel. For the first time tonight there’s more emphasis on melody than rhythm.
Venus In The Zinnia, is immediately accessible, a duet with her guitarist. It’s another track that begins in a folky singer songwriter vein before developing into a shuffling rhythm with the whole band engaged. For, If Lady Does It her voice takes on a childlike character. But as the shapeshifting continues, Worms delves into the blues and signals the return of more husky, darker tones.
It’s a gig punctuated by silent pauses. Aldous seemingly mentally prepares herself for each new song. With some acts this would inevitably grate, with audiences’ patience tested by an apparent lack of stagecraft. But not this crowd; they wait in rapt silence, seemingly entranced by the performer’s aura. Pre-song silence is often accompanied by strange facial twitches, and odd sounds. Out on the street onlookers may be tempted to snigger, or look away embarrassed; but not here in Aldous world. It’s compelling, if a little unsettling, and somehow we just have to look. It all just adds to her aura and uniqueness. Occasionally the reverence is broken by idle chatter but unbelievers are met with looks that could kill by the silent 99%.
As the set rolls on, San Francisco proves a real highlight for your reviewer. Beginning with her voice at its most delicate, the part spoken muffled lyrics are backed by sympathetically restrained instrumentation. Mid way through there’s an awakening and Aldous becomes her most Joni Mitchell of the night. It doesn’t last of course. What Am I Gonna Do takes us back to darkness with drums and bass driving a much heavier sound and a harp overlaying delicate textures. Aldous is singing through her whole body. Initially stood at the microphone, her arms move discordantly and occasionally twitch before finishes the song lying supine on the stage floor.
The set closes with Coats, another heavier, rock orientated track. Aldous becomes even more animated; moving out of time to the music. Akin to watching a drunken puppet animated by an inept puppeteer, it’s a performance that really shouldn’t work but is somehow utterly engaging.
Returning to encore, we seemingly wait an age watching Aldous prepare herself as she sits alone, centre stage. When she’s eventually ready, Riding That Symbol sees her at her most delicate and fragile once again, with little girl voice delivering hushed vocals. Inevitably though, the band return. They close with Designer. It’s easily the most poppy track of the night and finds Aldous dancing almost “normally” in time with the rhythm. We move through various time changes but for a few moments this could be almost any indie pop gig. As they say their goodbyes, Aldous smiles and waves. It’s in stark contrast to the prevailing mood and intensity of the previous 90 minutes.
Aldous Harding has been described as impossible to categorise and impossible to review. I have sympathy with those thoughts. This has been no ordinary gig. There’s an impression that for tonight’s audience this has been a spiritual experience. For your reviewer, the outsider, it’s been a chance a glimpse into Aldous Harding’s world. It’s a compelling if sometimes disturbing experience. It’s a world where songs seem to be delivered through the singer’s whole body. It’s a world where rhythm driven tracks flicker with more exotic sounds beneath the surface, adding texture and subtlety.
Above all though, tonight has been about Aldous Harding as a performer. She’s much more than a singer and songwriter. Impossible to label, I’m going to steal another writer’s words.
Aldous Harding: enigmatic shapeshifter.
