LØLØ w/ Ella Red & Dawson Gamble (supports) @ The Wardrobe, Leeds - 9th May 2026
- John Hayhurst
- May 13
- 4 min read
LØLØ Turns Leeds Wardrobe Into A Pop-Punk Group Therapy Session
Words & Photos - John Hayhurst
There’s something refreshing about an artist who can turn heartbreak, anxiety and oversharing into a room full of strangers screaming lyrics with huge grins on their faces. That’s exactly what Canadian pop-punk star LØLØ managed at The Wardrobe tonight, delivering a set that felt like being invited inside the world’s loudest, funniest and most emotionally chaotic diary entry.
Opening the evening was rising singer-songwriter Dawson Gamble, whose stripped-back honesty provided an ideal contrast to the chaos that followed later in the night. While the crowd were still filtering into The Wardrobe, Gamble managed to immediately pull attention towards the stage with a set built around raw vocals, emotional lyricism and understated confidence. There was a looseness to his performance that made it feel genuine rather than overly rehearsed, and thats even with the laptop backing track accompanying his electric guitar.
Between songs, he chatted casually with the crowd, joking about this being only his second day in the UK ever, and visibly taking in the reaction from a venue that grew noticeably louder as his set progressed. Musically, his sound leaned more towards alternative pop and indie-infused heartbreak anthems, giving the early part of the evening a reflective tone before the full pop-punk explosion of the headline set.
Texan newcomer Ella Red, came armed with sharp pop-rock hooks and the confidence of somebody playing venues twice the size, the 22-year-old delivered a support set that felt far bigger than an opening slot usually allows. From the moment she walked out, there was a natural ease to her performance — playful between songs, but completely locked in once the music started.
Stylistically, Ella Red slotted perfectly into the evening’s mix of emotional honesty and chaotic energy. Her songs balanced glossy modern pop melodies with enough bite and attitude to keep the room moving, while lyrically leaning into themes of heartbreak, frustration and self-awareness in a way that clearly resonated with the now jam-packed audience. Even those arriving early for LØLØ quickly found themselves singing along by the end of the set.
What stood out most was her stage presence constantly engaging the crowd and feeding off the growing reactions from the room. By the midway point, chants and cheers were bouncing back at her between songs, with fans near the front hanging onto every word despite many likely discovering her music for the first time that night.
There was also a clear chemistry between Ella Red and the audience that carried through into the main set later in the evening, particularly when she reappeared alongside LØLØ for a guest moment that earned one of the loudest reactions of the night. If tonight proved anything, it’s that Ella Red feels far closer to being a future headline name than simply “one to watch.”
Before LØLØ even appeared, the atmosphere was already theatrical. Soft fairytale-style music drifted through the venue while fans packed shoulder-to-shoulder beneath the low ceiling, anticipation building with every passing second. Then came the first of several spoken interludes that framed the night like pages being ripped straight from a journal — equal parts dramatic monologue and self-aware comedy.
When LØLØ finally burst onto the stage, she did so at full speed. Opening with the devil wears converse, she immediately unleashed the kind of energy that transformed the compact Leeds venue into a bouncing wall of movement. Fans near the barricade screamed every word back at her before the first song had even properly settled.
“Leeds, you guys are already insane,” she laughed early into the set, pacing constantly between either side of the stage while feeding off the crowd’s energy. There was barely a pause before launching into newer material from god forbid a girl goes onboard, an album that formed the backbone of the evening and gave the show its emotional centre.
What makes LØLØ stand apart from a growing sea of internet-era pop-punk artists is her ability to make vulnerability entertaining without cheapening it. One minute she’s joking about toxic relationships or making fun of herself for being “delulu”, the next she’s openly discussing anxiety, obsession and heartbreak with complete sincerity. Somehow, it never feels forced.
Throughout the night, she repeatedly returned to the diary theme, explaining how strange it feels to now sing thoughts she once kept hidden from everyone. The crowd responded like close friends rather than passive spectators, hanging onto every story between songs just as loudly as the choruses themselves.
Tracks like THE FLOOR IS LAVA!! and debbie downer injected pure sugar-rush chaos into the setlist, turning the venue into one giant pogoing blur. At one point, LØLØ stopped mid-song to joke that the crowd needed an official cheer captain before pulling a fan into the spotlight, leaning fully into the playful unpredictability that made the night feel so personal.
Yet for all the humour, the quieter moments land just as hard. During me with no shirt on, phone lights filled the room while LØLØ performed with acoustic guitar in hand, letting the vulnerability of the lyrics speak for themselves. The contrast between explosive pop-punk hooks and stripped-back confessionals kept the set constantly shifting emotionally without ever losing momentum.
Elsewhere, u turn me on (but u give me depression) arrived with massive singalong energy, while faceplant drew one of the loudest reactions of the night thanks to its sharp hooks and theatrical build-up. Even when joking about disastrous relationships or spiralling thoughts, LØLØ’s charisma kept the room feeling uplifting rather than heavy.
A huge part of the show’s success came down to the connection she built with the audience. Leeds crowds are rarely shy, but tonight felt particularly loud. Whether fans were shouting back punchlines, singing entire verses unprompted or waving their arms during the more emotional moments, there was a genuine sense of collective release running through the venue all night long.
By the time the encore arrived, the energy somehow still hadn’t dipped. wish i was a robot stripped things back one final time before the explosive closer hot girls in hell sent the room into absolute meltdown.
For an artist whose music revolves around emotional chaos, LØLØ has an impressive ability to turn insecurity into celebration. Tonight at Leeds’ Wardrobe, she delivered a performance packed with humour, honesty and complete emotional catharsis — the kind of gig that leaves fans sweaty, hoarse and already desperate for the next tour announcement.
