LIVE FROM THE PIT: Delilah Bon and Crae Wolf

Out of feral feminine rage, we have all gathered to scream and cry alongside DELILAH BON for her final stop of the tour in London. "This is what this show is for, a safe space for anyone to let it out, this is therapy in a way”. Indeed, during one of the coldest seasons in the UK’s (political) climate, being surrounded by a crowd of warm, accepting people might ever so slightly heal something within you. Championing and advocating for all marginalised folks, whether part of her team or her audience, DELILAH never fails to teach a lesson on allyship and how to keep taking a stance without sacrificing your artistic integrity.

But first, CRAE WOLF takes the stage to truly amplify the energy in the room, ready as ever to “shake, shake, shake, shake”. For those of us unlucky enough to miss the SPIRITBOX x MEGAN THEE STALLION legendary Coachella performance, the East London star is here to scratch that itch in no less perfect execution. Self-described ‘baddie metalcore’, the singer even has her own little gimmick, and carries it through the whole set: as soon as she chants “CRAE”, the audience must follow, in the most beastly manner, “WOLF”. 

Infectious personality and amazing crowd work cannot sell it on its own; thankfully, CRAE also brought in some earworm material. Do U Think I Care and On My Body served as the ideal dance and warm-up tunes, letting the audience know straight away they will also have to “do some workout” tonight. By the middle of the set, CRAE has already turned leader of the pack, so it was no difficulty getting everyone to scream along with the lyrics of her latest single Mouth. Even though the band had some technical difficulties towards the end, they were ready to throw out the microphone and finish it off barehanded. A perfect fit for DELILAH’s support, it is almost her other side, both sets complementing each other beautifully.

Patiently awaiting the grand entrance, the crowd is taking in every second to rest before screaming their hearts out again. Finally, DELILAH appears on a dimly lit stage, making the atmosphere even more tense, but also more intimate. PRINCELESS PRINCESS seems to be the perfect pick to set the tone, with the dress taken right out of a fairytale; it is clear tonight she takes the London crown. Speaking of dressing how you want, no song intermission is lost without a good story or a political comment being made. In a world where most artists shy away from expressing their opinions and beliefs, DELILAH BON embeds it in all of her art with almost no exception, and this is what the fans keep coming for.

Although some fast rapped lyrics may be hard to sing along to, the biggest lines of songs like I Don’t Listen to You and Witch are still heard clearly even at the very back. One of the most beautiful moments of the night has to be her performance of Not The President — within the signature rainbow lighting, the team even managed to include a beam in the colours of the trans flag, in solidarity with the struggles the community faces both in the UK and across the pond. DELILAH always goes an extra mile to connect to the audience, coming down from the stage to hold hands with everyone she can reach, making it impossible not to shed a tear.

Although it does not feel like a minute has passed, we are slowly nearing the end of the show. War On Women is dedicated to all women of South Africa, Sudan, Congo and Sudan, while the following I Wish A Bitch Would is sung in commemoration of everyone we lost to violence. Throughout the whole evening, DELILAH BON is determined to “Set the tone for the next year, because we’re gonna get louder, more obnoxious, and more in your face” — and this energy is truly amplified with every track she plays. To close off on a high, Dead Men Don’t Rape is a cathartic run-through, with middle fingers in the air designated for all those who dared to ever wrong us. 

Finally, with the most unapologetic BUSH ending the set and consequently the whole tour, the singer throws a bouquet of roses into the crowd, as if to determine who the next bride will be. Or perhaps, it determines who will someday continue the legacy that DELILAH BON has already begun setting in stone.

Words: Mariia Bulkina

Photos: Artemi Falzon