The Warning at the Forum

The Villarreal Vélez sisters, Daniela, Paulina and Alejandra, grace the stage at 9pm on the dot, welcomed by a warm wave of cheers. Clearly, the three rockers do not like wasting time. From beginning to end, the concert is all about music. The Warning play hard rock with no frills or interruptions: just furious drumming, funky bass and some powerful, knee-dropping guitar solos, accompanied by impeccable vocals that showcase a wide range and stay strong throughout.

The concert begins with S!CK, an infectiously fun rock anthem that they released back in February. A powerful, blues-tinged riff and a catchy vocal hook (hard to shake). They don’t relent either. The following track, Z, is as equally feverish and catchy. The crowd cannot stay still, caught into the vortex of guitar solos and entranced by the trio’s charisma and energetic performances. It is also a real auditory pleasure to listen to one of their Spanish songs, Qué Más Quieres, as the musicality of the language beautifully marries their signature sound.

It’s tricky to pick highlights, as the energy remained consistently high throughout, but Dull Knives (Cut Better) and ERROR deserve a special mention. Judging by the reaction of the audience, these two are possibly the perfect tracks to play live, infused with a sort of anger that can only be shaken off through dancing and loud singing.

Overall, the sisters seem perfectly calibrated, each of their instruments communicating with each other. They do not interact often with the audience – only to express gratitude and make sure everyone is okay – and they arguably do not really need to. Their music can do all the talking, and it is likely that as they become more comfortable playing in front of bigger audiences, that will also change.

For now, these three young women seem to have placed themselves at the forefront of a much-needed rock resurgence – now we can just wait and see what they will do next. Whatever it is, they will certainly have a blast doing it.

Benedetta Mancusi
Photos: Virginie Viche

For further information and future events visit The Warning’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Qué Más Quieres here: