Melding sludge, punk, and riotous vitality with a gothic edge, Witch Fever surges to the forefront of the UK’s various rock and steel scene by means of dynamic stage presence and daring tackling of robust matters in lyrics and life.
The four-piece not too long ago wrapped a large 41-date tour supporting Volbeat, dropped their acclaimed sophomore album FEVEREATEN, and now heads out on a European headline run. They highlight the brutal aspect of 2026 touring: a viral clip exhibits income from an area run trapped in European withholding taxes.
Monetary Strains Hit Onerous
Singer Amy Walpole particulars the crunch on the 101 Half Time Jobs podcast. “We’re broke as fuck – and we simply did two months in arenas,” she says. “We can also’t get a job as a result of we’re again on tour in March, so nowhere will rent us. I am at present dwelling off 4 grand of my late mom’s pension that I bought on the finish of final yr. That is simply loopy that that is what the music business is like for the time being.”
But guitarist Alisha Yarwood emphasizes the joys of sharing levels with Poppy, IDLES, and My Chemical Romance in arenas and stadiums. “For somebody like me, who would not know idea or something like that, it has been actually cool to go on tour with an even bigger band that does not have this large ego and is prepared and open to instructing you issues,” she explains. “Going from what we had been enjoying 5 years in the past, solely small venues, to stadiums and arenas… You can’t beat that feeling when you recover from the nerves of, ‘Oh my god, I am enjoying in entrance of hundreds of individuals,’ you then notice you are truly doing it, and it is simply the very best feeling on this planet.”
From Drums to Guitar: Early Influences
Yarwood’s dad, a drummer, sparked her musical path. She picked up drums first however switched to guitar round age 12. Self-taught through movies amid her dad’s musician community, she skipped jazz funk for heavy appears like Deftones and Nirvana’s grunge vibe.
“It was the primary one which drew me in. It is extra the sensation on stage of simply not giving a fuck, and simply going a bit loopy and sort of letting one thing out,” Yarwood says. Particular guitar heroes? None—as an alternative, full-band sounds drove her.
Gear Selections for Doom-Punk Edge
Yarwood wields a Jim Root Jazzmaster and Gretsch Electromatic G5230T Jet FT with Bigsby—unconventional for Witch Fever’s heaviness. She grabbed the Gretsch at 17, drawn to its cool issue. “It is carrying the heaviness and selecting up the fuzz of my pedals, after which once we play softer, extra melodic issues, it is so good at each,” she notes.
The Gretsch crafts distinctive dynamics: heavy fuzz tones plus clear melodic punch. The Jim Root calls for adjustment—heavier strings and pickups distinction the Gretsch’s lightness.
Pedal Necessities and Tour Classes
Yarwood advanced from guitar-and-amp fundamentals to pedal-heavy setups important for Witch Fever’s sound. Staples embody Orange’s Fur Coat Fuzz and TC Digital Corridor of Fame reverb on each observe from the final two albums.
Opening for Poppy, IDLES, Bush, My Chemical Romance, and Volbeat yields gear recommendations on pedals, guitars, and amps. All acts show welcoming. Volbeat’s area scale compelled wi-fi adoption after a cable snapped mid-set. “When everybody’s looking at you, you may’t run off and cry. You simply gotta take care of it,” Yarwood remembers. Wi-fi frees her to roam huge levels.
Final Turning Level
The IDLES tour supply in 2022 marked Witch Fever’s breakout, post-COVID. “We had been all just a bit bit deflated. After which we bought supplied that tour… all of us love IDLES… that was the purpose the place we had been all like, ‘Whoa. This may very well be one thing cool. This can be a large alternative.’”
