Live

Glasvegas

Ross Cunningham 18/06/2008

Glasvegas' almost relentless gigging schedule around Scotland and the rest of Britain over the past couple of years would put almost all other bands to shame. This perseverance coupled with the strength and originality of their material has resulted in them finally becoming hot property in the UK music scene. I first saw them live supporting “Dirty Pretty Things” at the ABC and was instantly converted to their unique amalgamation of do-wop, surf rock, and shoegazing. There's no doubt Glasvegas have come a long way since then and as they get ready to take to the stage on a wet windy night in Stirling their faces have just been newly plastered all over the cover of the NME.

The Fubar lounge was as packed as I've ever seen it and signalled the start of three sold out shows in as many days for the hard working four-piece. With the stage bathed in blue lights and dry ice “Moon River” flooded in over the PA system and a fervent crowd welcomed “Glasvegas” back to a venue they're no strangers to having played it in the not to distant past (to much fewer people might I add).

Starting with a wall of droning reverb the instant singalong of “Flowers and Football Tops “ or ” Flooers and fitba taps” to be precise came ringing around the low ceilings and beating off the walls. Caroline McKay's drums drive the song along and although the sound was pitch perfect those that weren't directly on the barrier struggled to see most of what was going on thanks to the Fubar's notorious seat in front of the stage. As the set opener faded into Glasvegas' very own unique sombre sounding cover of “You Are My Sunshine”, the contrast can't help but strike a chord on the old heartstrings.

New single “Geraldine” which has been on heavy rotation on most of the major radio and TV channels of late sounds both gritty and instantly unmistakable with the dreamy “Ya,Ya,Ya,Ya,Ya's” rolling off of James tongue. “Go-Square-Go” is already a live classic with plenty of opportunities for crowd interaction especially with the section of “here we, here we, here we fucking go” and had everyone swearing like troopers but encouraged no “square-go's” that I'm aware of.

Glasvegas have a busy summer ahead of them playing numerous festivals and are currently the only act to be confirmed to play both T in the Park and Connect. I would seriously recommend Glasvegas as a must see live act this year. Their songs are soaked in their own inimitable Glaswegian colloquial twang, which manages to add a real sense of national identity without feeling forced, contrived or gimmicky in anyway. The short sharp eight song set was brought to its dramatic finale with last years massive hit single “Daddy's Gone”. Shouts of “oh yer da he's gone” met the band at the chorus just going to prove that the world (well Scotland anyway) are ready for Glasvegas to dare I say it be the breakthrough act of 2008.