RAT BOY // O2 ABC, GLASGOW
RAT BOY RETURN'S TO GLASGOW FOR SCUM TOUR!
The O2 ABC was bouncing last night, bouncing to the beat of an artist with talent, talent in singing, talent in rapping and even talent in riding a bike. All of the above was showcased on the 25th April 2017 when RAT BOY came up from Essex to give Glasgow a taste of his inspired Hip-Hop/Indie music. Along with him on the tour, his backing band consisting of Harry Todd (Guitar), Liam Haygarth (Bass) and Noah Booth (Drums).
RAT BOY - O2 ABC GLASGOW - 25/04/2017
PICTURE BY: FORGHAM BAILEY
With High Tyde supporting there was no room for a poor show. Being a newer band they fit into the support slots quite well, having previously supported other indie artists such as The Hunna they can get the crowd going for the main act and their brash-indie/rock style worked well at the O2, preparing the crowd for the chief of the night RAT BOY. But no doubt that High Tyde will rise to sell-out headline slots at venues around the UK and really make a name for themselves as they are a band whose fan base is expanding swiftly.
With every performance, RAT BOY is known to bring something different. With custom sets and lighting this DIY musician is involved in every decision in his music. In his performance in Glasgow he brought on stage 4 traffic signs - usually found at roundabouts - all were the same, known as ‘keep left’ signals. Perhaps the name is just a coincidence but if you take into consideration his underground style and song lyrics that involve current political and economic issues, this simple set design may have a deeper political meaning than what first meets the eye. This is an important part of what RAT BOY is. This is shown in his songs and all that he creates. Even his official website (www.ratboy.co.uk) is an interactive experience. He is a musician that shows his creativity and skill at every opportunity, a feature that is not so common in the modern indie music scene. He is best described as an artist, in almost every form you can think of.
With this foursome busting beats out on a custom stage you would think that was enough. But no, along with the musical performance they had what can only be described as a wacky narration throughout the set mixed with a soundboard that sat on the ground next to RAT BOY. He used it during songs and in interludes between, which really projected his DIY identity and approach to his own music. This gave the performance a slightly theatrical feel and I must say I haven’t been as entertained at any gig in recent times.
The setlist included seventeen songs, a mix of old and new. No matter what song it was, the entire crowd was active for the whole set. The biggest songs of the night included Wasteman, a song that was played early in the set to boost the crowd. Revolution in the middle which made the crowd jump in unison and Sign On, his only track that made it to No.1. It was definitely number one on the night, making the whole of O2 ABC shake as the crowd leaped for every beat.
RAT BOY himself put on a great show. Dressed in all black with gold chains and a bed-head hair cut he looked the part. What made him great was not just his catchy tunes but his attitude and emotion on stage, he seems to have found the balance between confidence and arrogance. A combination that works well as his presence is clear but not intimidating or egotistical. With his playful attitude and goofy personality, it is nice to see a character behind the music.