Mogwai play two homecoming shows to sold-out crowd

★★★★★ (5/5)

I’d been eagerly telling pals all week that I’m going to see Mogwai. They all utter the same sentiment: “bringing earplugs — it’s going to be loud”. Having been to a number of their shows, I was well aware of the sheer power of the live performances, so I was hell bent on writing a review not mentioning this.

I arrive at the second of two sold-out nights at the Barrowlands. The gig is in support of their new album, The Bad Fire, which dropped at the start of the year via Rock Action.

On support is Kathryn Joseph, joined by creative collaborator, Lomond Campbell. What follows is a dark and dancey electronic set led by Kathryn’s spectral, breathy vocals. The staging is set up like a piano and synth head-tohead between the two performers, who weave together pulsing beats and rhythmic synths and subtle harmonies.

The set plays out in two halves. The first half features songs from Kathryn’s upcoming album, WE WERE MADE PREY, including “WOLF”, “ROADKILL” and “HARBOUR”. The second half leans into Lomond Campbell’s dance-forward remixes of songs from Kathryn’s 2022 album for you who are wronged which is the perfect build for the rest of the evening. Despite the growing numbers around me, the whole set has the atmosphere of an intimate club show.

The audience around me is bobbing away, captivated, throughout; with disarming humility, sipping a glass of red wine, Kathryn calls us “very kind, quiet and fucking beautiful”.

As the clock strikes nine, the lights dim and Mogwai takes to the stage. Stuart Braithwaite raises a toast to the crowd as the opening arpeggios of “God Gets You Back” — the first track from The Bad Fire — reverberate around the room. The driving track introduces all the members before launching into a set that showcases Mogwai’s diverse back catalogue; they shift between the newer synth-laced tracks to floating ambience and vocals in “Take Me Somewhere Nice”, they slam into full-on indie rock on “Ritchie Sacramento” to the hopeful bliss of “How to Be a Werewolf”. At this point, the band is fully locked in, grooving in time with each other. It’s a full-spectrum light show party now and there’s strangers jumping and dancing together in the queue for the bar. It’s one of my favourite moments of the night.

For a mostly instrumental band, the committed fans recognise the songs as soon as they start, letting out audible, knowing appreciation as the first notes play on iconic songs like “Hunted by a Freak”.

The concert ebbs and flows. During a more ambient passage, the chatter around me begins to grow. For a brief moment, the music becomes a backing track. The song that’s playing is “Like Herrod” so I know what’s coming; people around me visibly jump as the violent thrashing guitar commands attention back to the stage. The snare cuts through the room like a gunshot. I feel it in my chest. At the next moment of stillness, everyone is silent ready for what’s next. An absolute banger played live.

Having peeped last night’s setlist, I’m anticipating some changes. I’m excited when the lonely guitar picking of “My Father My King” starts and I know we’re in for a 20 minute hypnotising and chaotic ride to the close of the evening. Gradually all members of the band build out the interweaving composition until all we hear is a wash of distortion. As it comes through the speakers in the Barras, it surrounds my entire body.

I wasn’t going to mention the amplitude of the performance… but as a man limps past me towards the exit, fingers-in-ears, I think, yes, it’s about exactly this! But it’s also about everything else. In this setting, Mogwai are masters of contrast and nuance. They move effortlessly between instruments, volume, genres and emotions — and take us along with them.

I leave as the final, frazzled frequencies fade out — peaceful, after my cathartic sound bath of screeching guitars, keening violin, and thundering drums. In the foyer, I pass a bench of punters looking shellshocked. It was loud. Should I tell them they should’ve brought some earplugs.