THE AMAZONS // THE GARAGE, GLASGOW
Rock music is Alive and well in The Amazons….and at The Garage in Glasgow!
THE AMAZONS PERFORMING AT GLASGOW'S GARAGE - 02.02.2018
PICTURE BY: KRISTEN BRODIE PHOTOGRAPHY
★★★★★
Tonight it’s all about new music, I’m at The Garage in Glasgow for The Amazons sell-out gig, I’ve not really heard much about them, other than a quick check on Spotify as a bit of rudimentary research and some rumours about their live gigs, the debut album suggests this could be a top night.
The characteristically dark and dingy Garage main room is slow to fill and perhaps only at a third of the capacity sell-out when the support take to the stage, coming on to the sound of an air-raid klaxon, which really grabs the attention.
Otherkin are all bunched up on the front of the stage in a line looking a strange mix of styles from a slightly boho cross between Bob Geldof and Damon Albarn front man, to blonde side-shed guitarist, it doesn’t look coherent, but boy are they energetic.
The energy mainly coming from the frontman who spits his lyrics into his mic from all angles whilst battering an already much battered old white guitar, the rest of the band are a great backdrop for his demeanour. The Bass player is low key and a tight player with the Guitarist much the same with some interesting lines. The Drummer exudes a cool I’ve not seen in a long time, leather bikers jacket, chest tattoo and a level of nonchalance a-la Rebel Without A Cause James Dean.
The music has the urgency of the Hives with the ragged bravado of The View and is an immediate hit with the punters as they chant before, during and after each song in the set. A great opening act with the front man and his Guitar ending up in amongst the crowd at the death……I’d head back to see these guys on their own.
The change over is excruciatingly long, almost 3/4 of an hour, but by the time The Amazons take to the stage the room is easily at capacity and eager for more rock action.
From the very first track the crowd are committed and there is a mosh pit, the performance rises in intensity throughout and there are very few moments where the crowd are not either going daft and being physical in their appreciation or chanting the obligatory Scottish gig refrain ‘ere we, ‘ere we, ere we fuckin’ go!
Throughout the performance there are elements of the Editors and the Kings of Leon not to mention a healthy dose of 70’s classic rock all delivered with a ferocity which amp’d the crowd up continuously.
They morph one of their tracks into Marc Bolan & T-Rex’s 20th Century Boy, delivering that in a suitably heavy version of the original. They also had a Drum Solo during the night, not something you see too often from a debut album band.
The band’s most listened to track on Spotify, Black Magic, is a high point both from a performance point of view and for the crowd reaction, which is tribal. I’m surprised there are no casualties….the power of the tracks chorus riff and the intensity and abandon of the sell-out crowd’s reaction is pretty special to witness.
They leave the stage at the end of the main performance like The Who would, with the guitars left ringing and feeding back on the ground, left for the roadies to deal with, nice touch. I like the confidence and defiance of the that mic drop moment, which is repeated again at the end of their encore.
The encore sees a change of pace with the lead man sitting down to a keyboard and signing In My Mind, nice change into the much more powerful closing track and the end to a great rock gig.
The night lived up to a notoriety The Amazons have for their live performance, that coupled with the choice of opening act, this is an easy 5 out of 5 for enjoyment. I would go see both bands again in a heartbeat, and look forward to hearing more about them both…..I hope bright futures await.
SETLIST - THE AMAZONS : THE GARAGE, GLASGOW | 02.02.2018
Stay With Me
Raindrops
New Song - "TBA"
Nightdriving
Burn My Eyes
Holy Roller
Little Something
Ultraviolet
In My Mind
Black Magic / Millions (The Party)
Encore:
Palace
Junk Food Forever