You could easily argue that Scottish music is at a strong point. We have Lewis Capaldi topping the charts and artists like Gerry Cinnamon competing for the headline spot at some massive UK festivals.
That being said, it is always a pleasure to get the chance to see a gig full of Scottish talent. The XCERTS, hailing from Aberdeen, were ready to impress as they played some of their final gigs on this album campaign.
Tonight they headline SWG3 in Glasgow, and with them brought Vistas and Swim School, perhaps two of the biggest rising stars in the country. Ready for a night of expensive pints and great music, I couldn't wait to see these three bands.
Swim School were first up with an earlier than usual set time. Having been only their fourth or fifth ever show you may expect them not to be as tight as the other bands, who are at this point veterans of the live scene, but the band blew everyone away.
The immense vocals of singer Alice Johnson filled the room, and the groovy guitars and drum beats made sure that everyone was watching them. Closing on their debut single sway, the band walked off proudly knowing that they had shown everyone what they were made of.
Vistas were up next, and the room filled more and more as they were set to start. Opening with Sign Language before playing newer tracks off their EP, hello, the band had people smiling and signing from the first note. Their infectious sound fills any room they play and gets people off their feet.
They closed with their most popular single Tigerblood and the room exploded. Nearly everyone was jumping around and singing along to the track. With a string of UK headline dates later this month, including a sold-out gig at St Lukes in Glasgow, Vistas are quickly on the rise to Scottish music dominance.
After all the support acts were finished, everyone knew what it was time for. The XCERTS have been playing together since they were young boys and have an extensive back catologue to wow audiences. Opening with their fast-paced single Daydream, the talent of the band was evident. The loud chorus and catchy guitar riffs got the crowd moving and jumping along.
Playing through an array of tracks, mainly from their latest album Hold On To Your Heart, the band continued to show SWG3 what they were made of. Powerful tracks like There Is Only You, The Dark (why is this not an opener, it is perfect) and Aberdeen 1987 had the crowd singing every word, making the 450 capacity venue feel like an arena.
Closing their set with an encore of Shaking In The Water and Feels Like Falling In Love, this Friday night was a perfect celebration of Scottish music. All the bands stepped up to the job and curated a beautiful night of live entertainment.
-Words and photos by Gregor Farquharson (@grgratlntc_)
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