BAD SUNS // GLASGOW GARAGE (ATTIC BAR), GLASGOW
Bad Suns are a mood lifting treat for most indie fans and, in their first ever appearance in Scotland, they put on passionate live show that is definitely one for soft rock appreciators to jump at the chance to see.
BAD SUNS PERFORMING AT GLASGOW’S GARAGE (ATTIC BAR), GLASGOW - 15.01.2019
PICTURE BY: STUART WESTWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5)
Bad Suns are a quartet from Los Angeles with a style that blends modern synth-indie, catchy upbeat rhythms and poetic lyrics. Inside Glasgow’s popular nightclub The Garage is an intimate stage and bar space known as the ‘Attic Bar’ and it was perfect host for the night’s band allowing a few of their growing fan base over here a golden opportunity to see the lads in a select setting.
In the lead up to the release of Bad Suns 3rd album, ‘Mystic Truth’ out 22nd of March, the band are touring on scale like never before and trying to build the success in Europe that they have met with in the US. With their prior work charting well in the States and creating a rumble here in Britain, it’s easy to think these lads could have a very bright future ahead.
The bar was filled with a youthful preppy crowd. The sold out show’s tickets had been sought after. The cavernous upstairs room was upbeat and attendants felt cheerful in their anticipation for what was to come. Initially their sound was inhibited by glaring volume coming from the guitars and this problem frequented throughout the night. Though that is really not particularly surprising when thinking about the size of the room they were in. Early in the set ‘We Move like the Ocean’ played. This is a laid back, soothing track but Christo Bowman’s beautiful vocal were, at times, very much overshadowed by this glare.
The melodic ‘Swimming in the Moonlight’ is stunning track and whiling playing it on stage, the performers look entranced in their sound. Guitarists Gavin Bennett and Ray Libby were in their own world with their instruments. Bowman has an almost Ian Curtis-esque twitchy rhythm and is perfectly succinct to the beat. The track is followed by catchy, airy ‘Violet.’ The shy at first crowd was shaking off their shyness and starting to enjoy the sound like floating.
The band played stunning single ‘Hold Your Fire’ and something about Bowman’s vocals with this melody was reminiscent of The Smashing Pumpkins.
When the band played ‘Heartbreaker’ it seemed as though the whole audience was bouncing along to every note. ‘Transpose,’ then matched sublimely when it followed. The band’s style seemed to closest match that of The Killers at this stage of the set.
Bassist Bennett playing was particularly divine on standout song of the night ‘Salt.’ This fast, pop number set of the crowd in to a bopping frenzy.
As the night rounded off, the band played from their more conventional, less upbeat, indie rock side too with the track ‘Disappear Here’ and ‘Outskirts of Paradise’ and finished with cool ‘Cardiac Arrest.’ The slight jolt in energy, with the grittier indie tracks, seemed more fitting for the middle of the set and perhaps keeping the end build towards a joyous climax. However, the night ended of a high as the crowd left happy and knowing that they had witnessed a unique band with quirky music and members who lose themselves in their sound.
SETLIST: | BAD SUNS : GLASGOW GARAGE (ATTIC BAR), GLASGOW - 15.01.2019
Away We Go
Daft Pretty Boys
We Move Like The Ocean
Swimming in the Moonlight
Violet
Sleep Paralysis
20 Years
Hold Your Fire
One Magic Moment
Off She Goes (with stripped Pretend intro)
Heartbreaker
Transpose
Rearview
Salt
ENCORE:
Disappear Here
Outskirts of Paradise
Cardiac Arrest