Apr 2, 20193 min read

GIG REVIEW | This Feeling @ Broadcast with Black Dove, The Asuras, The Lutras and Certificates

This Feeling, ‘the best club in the UK for future rock n roll stars’ (according to the chief himself Noel Gallagher), rolled into Glasgow once again on March 22nd, bringing with it four upcoming bands who each took Broadcast by storm in their own way.

First to take to the stage was Coatbridge-based band Certificates, who I had previously seen supporting The Roly Mo at their launch gig back in February. Being the first band on shortly after doors the crowd was small, but interested – you could see people along the front swaying and mouthing the lyrics, showing that Certificates are on their way to building a dedicated fan base. They probably served up the heaviest set of the evening with their blend of punk rock, which included bold future single Realise. I’m looking forward to seeing how these loud, catchy, songs that are great to sing along to are received as Certificates continue to grow as a band and expand their fanbase.

Second on the bill were Dumfries boys The Lutras. I first heard of them in 2016 but didn’t see them until a year later, where they played to a few people in a small hotel as part of Edinburgh’s EH6 Festival. It was lovely to see how the band has grown since then, offering up a confident set which screamed ‘rock n roll’ from the very beginning and allowed us in the audience to be treated to two new songs, I’ll Be There and Playing The Game. By this point, a larger crowd was gathering, fronted by some travelling fans of the band who led the singing, dancing and general good time down by the stage. Having followed The Lutras on social media for a while and knowing people from their hometown, I’ve been able to see Dumfries rallying behind the band and generating hype, but it was lovely to witness it first-hand.

Paisley’s The Asuras were next to take the stage, in front of an increasingly larger crowd – each band seemed to come with their own group of supporters who then stayed on to watch the other bands, which is (in my humble opinion) the way to do things. Who says you need to have listened to a band before you can enjoy a live performance by them? The Asuras served up some classic rock with 90s Britpop vibes running throughout, continuing to hold the crowd’s interest even when lead vocalist Connor Hepburn announced that their next song was going to slow things down a bit – it was a smooth, easy-going tune which was nice to sway to.

At the top of the bill were Inverclyde rockers Black Dove, who pulled in the largest crowd (including a few people in Black Dove tees – one fan even held up a Black Dove flag). Energetic from the start, the band brought bold vocals and fun, upbeat tunes which I can definitely see people singing and dancing along to. Standing at the side of the stage, I was able to watch the band’s audience and grasp the atmosphere – you could tell there was a real sense of community among those at the front who were dancing and belting out the lyrics. There were times the set felt more like a party than a gig (in the best possible way, of course).