Hamish Hawks storms a sold out Barrowlands

★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

HAMISH HAWK PERFORMING AT GLASGOW’S BARROWLANDS
PHOTOCREDIT: KENDALL WILSON

With a sold out Saturday nights at the Barrowlands, Hamish Hawk and band have come a long way. A stellar last couple of years for Hamish and co; releasing two well received records, touring all over the UK and Europe, playing increasingly large venue. Tonight is a stunning culmination of hard graft realising lofty ambitions and more importantly perhaps great songs being herd and enjoyed by a great number of people.

Hamish Hawk is an Edinburgh based singer-songwriter who specialises in poetic lyrics with arresting word play. Hamish is supported by a band capable of soaring indie rock to dark post punk and everything in between. After a decade in between solo artist and playing with a band, 2021 Hamish Hawk broke through on 6 music and such in 2021 with the album Heavy Elevator. Trading on earworm chorus and playful literate lyrics. Finally leaving behind part time work in a record shop in Edinburgh to make Hamish Hawk a full-time proposition.

Tonight, they are supported by Voka Gentle. Whose off kilter energetic performance goes down well with an appreciative crowd. The stage is bathed in red lights as Hamish Hawk and band ascend. They waste no time, kicking into gear immediately with the inscrutable but brilliantly arresting Calls to Tiree. An immediate squall of guitar and funny lyrics like “for years I was John Lennons Imagine track 3” showcase the strengths of the act. The set is largely focused on a mix of the most recent two albums and an older acoustic song, Catherine Opens a Window. Performed solo Catherine is a tender and delicate highlighting making references to cancer and young friendship, showcases excellent variety.

Otherwise, the set is mostly fill of anthemic singalong artful indie rock performed powerfully by Hamish and his band. The crowd know all the words and this creates an excellent atmosphere, particularly evident on Bakerloo, Unbecoming and The Mauritian Badminton Doubles Champion, 1973. The songs are difficult to offer literal interrupts but the abstract lyrics create emotions and feelings evidently from the adulations of the crowd. A further highlight is the country-tinged duet between Hamish and Lizzie Reid, Rest & Veneers. Hamish is an enticing performed, grateful for the crowd in his interactions and wonderful to watch with his energetic stage movements.

As Hamish finishes the main set the lights descend into darkness for the post punky Caterpillar. It’s all tense and jerky rhythms and wiry distorted guitar combining to a fittingly absorbing set closer. It must be impossible to ignore a sold out Barrowlands demands for an encore and Hamish Hawk and band duly oblige with a raucous cover of Pixies classic Debaser. With that the show is over. Though guitarist Andrew Pearson appears to require to be carried off by the rest of the band due to some injury sustained in the dangerous business of playing daring and wonderful indie rock, the show is an unmitigated triumph.