GIG REVIEW: Vigo Thieves at Broadcast 22/05/2013

Once again Broadcast played home to a launch night. On this cool Wednesday evening, a specially invited audience of family, friends and music types was there to witness Vigo Thieves  in an intimate showcase for the new 'Believe' single.

The proceedings were opened by The Calm Fiasco, whose rock pop punk got the crowd going early. Putting together a few medleys of covers and their own tracks, it's a short but sweet set. Their new song 'Sugar' is the highlight of the set, and shows they've got a chance to go bigger and better.

But this is night is all about Vigo Thieves and everyone knows it. From the get-go, they are welcomed loudly and with massive sing-alongs. They prove to be an accomplished live outfit, and put on quite the show. We are also treated to the special inclusion of a live saxophone on two songs, including on Ghosts, and this makes for a definite highlight. The single we're all there to celebrate 'Believe' is a big tune and goes down just as wonderfully as the rest of their set. The band have Broadcast literally bouncing for the majority of their show, and having brought two Canadian friends with me I definitely enjoyed being able to show them what a true Scottish get down at a gig is like. The crowd, not satisfied with the main set, use all their energy and power to bring the band back onto stage for a well deserved  and unplanned encore, and then make a point of stealing the show right at the end. 

This was Vigo Thieves' night though, and no matter how rowdy and excited the crowd were, it was the band who shone in the end, as it should be. Broadcast has been home to some brilliant launches this year, and this was definitely one of them.

GIG REVIEW - Where We Lay Our Heads single launch, Brave Young Red & Shambles Miller at Broadcast 02/04/2013

The dark yet cosy confines of Broadcast was host to another launch night on Tuesday evening when the stage was graced by Where We Lay Our Heads to release new single 'Keanu Leaves' in style. 

The bar was set in the banter, and music, stakes as the night opened with Shambles Miller, who quickly got the crowd on side with his witty remarks and folk-pop tunes. It's hard to dislike a guy who carries only one t-shirt to sell at his gigs and has song entitled 'Chris Brown is a cunt (and Mike has some issues)'. Even when he messed up during his single 'Confessions', he saved it and the crowd went along with him. Few Glasgow acts can offer such witty reparte along with their live show and, for this reason, I'll certainly be attending more Shambles shows in the future.

Taking up the task of following Shambles and warming up the crowd for the headliners were Ayr's Brave Young Red. Fresh off their own EP release within the last month the majority of their setlist is made up of songs from 'Roots', the highlight of the set being when they slow things down for 'Footprints', which made this blogger thankful that they were sans an acoustic guitar for the set allowing them to dip into this track. The banter may not quite have reached Shambles' levels but there is certainly promise in this band, and I'd be fine if the acoustic guitar missed a few more gigs if we got performances like that of 'Footprints'.

The room has filled up and the crowd are settled in as our headliners take the stage just before half ten. Playing a balanced set of new and old, Where We Lay Our Heads bring in spring (finally!) with their folk-pop infused songs and keep Broadcast bopping through the full set. New single and the reason we were all there, 'Keanu Leaves' anchors the set and is the definitie highlight, whilst the new tracks played prove that there is much more to come from this band.  They may not be as good at the talking thing in between songs as their support acts but they can certainly claim to be an accomplished live act whose talent and promise is going to take them places.

REVIEW: Keanu Leaves - Where We Lay Our Heads

Glasgow's Where We Lay Our Heads return with a new single this week. 

'Keanu Leaves' is a rousing folk-rock tune that will have your toe-tapping for its entire four minute and forty seven second running time. 

The track is beautifully layered, with a perfect balance of sounds making it one of the better produced songs to be released this year. 

The single showcases all this band have to offer and leaves you wanting more so we can only hope that they've got more coming soon.

The band launch the single at Broadcast in Glasgow this Tuesday (2nd April), with support from Shambles Miller and Brave Young Red for a mere £5, and advance tickets get a free download of the single. Details can be found at the Facebook event.

'Keanu Leaves' will be released 1st April through Common Records.