Elbow went big for their arena tour with a show full of warmth and colour as well a unique performance from special guests The Waeve.

★★★★☆ (4/5)

ELBOW PERFORMING AT GLASGOW’S OVO HYDRO
PHOTOCREDIT: CALUM BUCHAN

Something which really surprises me is the way in which Elbow seem to divide people. For me, they’re a breath of fresh air; a drink with ice on a sweltering day; the feeling of being understood deeply, however, over the years I’ve heard a few grumbles that this interesting band make some listeners turn off. It is often that greatest things cause controversy and split opinion. Elbow have let the waves crash and, for many their work is filled with precious gems.

Elbow was formed in 1997 in Bury, Greater Manchester. The band members, Guy Garvey, Craig Potter, Mark Potter, Pete Turner, and Richard Jupp, had been friends since childhood and decided to form a band after attending college together. They started playing local gigs and gradually gained attention, eventually releasing their debut album “Asleep in the Back” in 2001. Since then, they’ve become known for their atmospheric rock sound filled with twists, and poetic lyrics brought to life by Garvey’s distinctive vocals.

With a steady stream of releases flowing from the band, they’ve worked hard in the last few years to keep their music and concerts up-to-date with the changing times. Their newest album, Audio Vertigo, is bright and punchy and filled with influences both modern and historic. It draws from Elbow’s more typical style while takes many exciting turns throughout its short run time.

As Elbow took their tour to some of the biggest venues up and down the country, they brought with them up-and-coming group The Waeve. The English band formed in London, in 2021 by singer-songwriters and musicians Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall. Coxon is formerly of indie smash hitters Blur and Dougall has an extensive history in the music scene.

It was small crowd who arrived on time for The Waeve’s set, but, undeterred the band threw themselves into the set with guts. They built up attention slowly, maybe too much so, as they initially played quite dark, dreary tracks Kill Me Again and Drowning. They catapulted the audience from the pits as their set built to a dramatic collaboration of sounds and what looked like an on-stage party in You Saw and Druantia.

When it was time for Elbow to face the Scottish crowd, there was strong excitement in the arena. It is abundantly clear just how much they mean to the fans from the roar of applauses that came crashing through as members of the band took to the stage; with the biggest saved for Guy Garvey who looks both charmed and chilled as he took to the mic. They opened with Things I’ve Been Telling Myself for Years and its rumbling tempo started the crowd moving along happily.

With a treasured repertoire as great as Elbows, they would have had their work cut out when coming up with a set list. They sprinkled in tracks from the new album and surrounded them with old favourites in order to keep the older fans happy. Highlights from the performance of this album were The Picture, a very typical number from the band that growled with their style, and Balu, a pacey and humorous number that diverts away from their norm.

Each track was delivered in its own special package, completed with specific backdrop, laser show and discussion from Garvey. The crowd revelled in hearing the song that have meant so much to them and with each track given the spotlight for the magnificence that it is.