You Me At Six ★★★★

Glasgow SECC, 27-03-12

7.00 - 7.30 The Skints

7.45 - 8.15 Mayday Parade

8.30 - 9.00 Kids In Glass Houses

9.20 - 10.55 You Me At Six

You Me At Six have been gradually growing over the past few years, playing smaller Glasgow venues such as the ABC and O2 Academy, and have now made it into the SECC. With queues lining the length of the centre from the middle of the afternoon, hall 3 filled up rapidly with the 6000 fans who sold the venue out.

First on were The Skints. What to say about The Skints? Londoners. Reggae. Very odd choice for a pop-punk gig with a line-up like it had. The band were good at what they did, but didn't get much of a reaction from the audience who looked more confused than amused. This was mostly due to the relaxing feel of the reggae, which was in contrast to what was expected from the night. That said, it was a nice try at opening people's eyes to different music, and we don't doubt that in the correct setting The Skints would do brilliantly. They were also a very attentive band, noticing when people were brought over the front barrier and telling the crowd to look after each other, which gained them brownie points in our eyes.

Mayday Parade were on second, and got the night onto the expected pop-punk track. Obviously popular with the young crowd, the American band played a good mix of their well-known songs such as Jersey and Black Cat, which most of the audience sang along to. Lively on stage, they were jumping around and got the audience to follow suit. A band that has been kicking around for a while but yet to have a major tour in the UK, the reception from the Glasgow audience should have them moving upwards sooner rather than later.

Kids In Glass Houses are relative old hats at the touring thing. Having usually seen the Welsh boys in smaller venues, including Apollo 23 for an acoustic set, we were pleased to see them using the larger venue as well as they did. They got the crowd hyped up for the headliners, playing a good mix of old and new. Although most of the crowd seemed to know their music, the band got the best reactions for their older tracks such as Give Me What I Want, Easy Tiger and Saturday. We personally feel the band should take this as an indication of what their fans want, as they could easily pull off a larger headline tour than they have done before with the release of the right album.

Headliners You Me At Six had the fans excited from the get go. Dropping a curtain in front of the stage, they each stood on a podium holding up numbered placards and could be seen by the audience when the lights flashed on. The curtain dropped and the crowd got a proper view of the stage, with an incredibly high drum podium and an excited frontman Josh bounding about. Again, this band performed a good range of their back catalogue, including old favourites Take Off Your Colours and Finders Keepers, and new The Swarm and Jaws On The Floor. The band were constantly playing, with little time in between songs for much other than introductions and quick questions. Slowing the night down with No One Does It Better and Crash, including a lovely little story about Josh have a Glaswegian grandfather, the audience were clinging to every word. Going off-stage for a short while, they came on and performed a lively encore of Underdog, Stay With Me and new favourite Bite My Tongue, leaving the crowd happy and tired out. The only things missing from the night was crowd-surfing, of which there was a surprising lack given the fan's participation at festivals (have a wee peek at this), which may have been due to the missing (crowd-surfing) song Save It For The Bedroom, a usual staple of the You Me At Six setlist. Although unusual, it is unlikely that the front rows were disappointed about not being sat and stood on, so all in all a very good night!

SAMAs 2012 ★★★★

The Garage, Glasgow. 01/02/12


Best Acoustic: Brown Bear And The Bandits
Best Hip-Hop: Madhat McGore
Best Electronic: Fridge Magnets
Best Live Act: We Were Promised Jetpacks
Best Metal: Ten Tonne Dozer
Best Rock-Alternative: Fatherson
Best Newcomer: Bwani Junction


The Scottish Alternative Music Awards, in their third year, have grown immensely. Having started out in the small room in Classic Grand, it sold out the Garage tonight and had some big names in the music business presenting the awards. BBC Radio 1's Ally McCrae presented best acoustic and best hip-hop; BBC Radio 1's Vic Galloway presented best electronic and best live act; and Clyde 1's Jim Gellatly presented best metal and best rock alternative, with SAMA founder Richy Muirhead presenting best newcomer.


Opening the night were Vukovi. Nice female vocals and normal rock music beats, they had a well-received set. The backing vocals harmonised beautifully with the lead and we would recommend doing more of that! The lead seemed (understandably) nervous, but got more confident as the set went on and was able to make a bit more contact with the audience. Hopefully she is able to interact more with the crowd the more gigs they do, as they were a good band to start off with. 

The host of the evening was comedian Billy Kirkwood. First impressions weren't brilliant - why get all kilted up and then wear trainers...whit you doing man? Other than that, he managed to get the crowd enthused and kept them smiling with a variety of slip-ups and deliberate jokes, making himself a memorable host.

Madhat McGore took to the stage after being announced as winners for best hip-hop. Ally McCrae mentioned how Scottish hip-hop is greatly overlooked, and we agree. However, we don't think the Scottish accent and hip-hop should necessarily go together, and it seems quite an acquired taste. That said, Madhat McGore was better than expected, with his accent not too strong but still keeping a Scottish flair. The first song "Healthy" wasn't brilliant, but managed to get some of the crowd involved. His acapella song was the best in the set, as we think the backing tracks were generally just faded out rather than ended with the lyrics, making it all seem unfinished. Even just cross fading the tracks into each other could greatly improve the performance. 

The next live performance was from Fridge Magnets, our surprise favourites of the night. Being an electronic band, we were expecting to see only a laptop and synthesiser, and were impressed when an electric drumkit and guitars all appeared on stage. It was a very nice change to see an actual band and instruments for an electronic band, and they did brilliantly. The vocals are fantastic and they got the audience bobbing along to their catchy tunes. Deserving winners in our opinion.

Best rock alternative winners Fatherson were next to perform. Reminding us initially of early Biffy Clyro, the lead had good soft rock vocals and lyrics to go with the fairly standard light rock music, and the introduction of a double bass halfway through the set was particularly suited to this.The vocalist and bassist were are the front of the stage, and seemed quite shy. Given the fairly large audience and having just won an award, it's understandable, but in their case it was quite endearing and we would suggest they hold on to that.

The final live performers were Bwani Junction. We, unfortunately, were unimpressed with this band. They did nothing wrong; they had catchy, radio-friendly indie-pop tunes, good vocals and a lively attitude. However, being so radio-friendly we were disappointed with their appearance in an alternative music setting, and this was the second year they had been nominated for best newcomer - defeating the whole purpose of that award. That said, for fans of that style of music, this band would go down well.


The night was a success, and SAMA is something we hope continues to grow. We think that in order for it to grow further it should increase the number of awards and have a clearer definition of genres. They sound clear-cut as it stands, but the nominees for best metal were primarily emo/alternative, with the winners Ten Tonne Dozer being the only metal band in the category. With it only being the third year of these awards, this is fairly excusable, and hopefully will be rectified in years to come. Everyone seemed to enjoy the night and it is a significant step for each of the nominated acts in their respective careers to be involved in the awards. For this and the fact the SAMAs are promoting local Scottish music, this event deserves the recognition it is now getting.

Let's Go Safari! - EP ★★★

Let's Go Safari asked us to review their recent tracks, available to listen to on Reverbnation. An indie pop band with an electro twist, they have uploaded 6 songs: Song Of My Soul, Bright Lights And Carnivals, The Silver Spoon, The Ballad Of Rikki Tikki Tavi, Saying I Love You and Glad To Be A Grad.


Song Of My Soul starts with a nice cheery intro, a good start. The vocals are not what was expected for an indie band - they are smooth and nicely in tune with the backing instruments. Oddly, the vocals reminded us a bit of Panic! At The Disco's Brendon Urie in their slower songs (see album Pretty. Odd., particularly Northern Downpour).


Bright Lights And Carnival has an odd mix synth and electric guitar as an intro. We're not sure it works: the different tunes each are playing don't always fit together in the short intro, and the guitar sounds quite dull and unpolished in comparison to the naturally clean sounding synth.This could be a metaphor for how carnivals always have a mixture of sounds and beats, but still doesn't sound right. That said, the music and instruments change constantly throughout the song, which is quite interesting and keeps the listener guessing. The second vocalist gets more lyrics in this song, but we would suggest using him as a backing vocalist as the vocals aren't as strong as the lead but they harmonise well together.


With a title like The Ballad Of Rikki Tikki Tavi, we expected an upbeat, theatrical attempt at an electro-indie song, but unfortunately this disappointed us. The intro was a basic and uninteresting synth, and vocals went lower and slower. Granted when the rest of the instruments came in, it was a bit more like their cheerier songs, but it was not enough to make up for the initial disappointment.


The band's songs Song Of My Soul, The Silver Spoon and Saying I Love You are all quite similar in style, with an upbeat electro beat and lovely vocals which would appeal to fans of this type of music. Glad To Be A Grad is also similar, but the vocals are a bit different showing a little diversity and it has a good bridge section, redeeming the band from The Ballad Of Rikki Tikki Tavi.


To summarise, this is a good attempt from the electro-pop duo. With the exception of a couple of areas acknowledged above, they have some good songs which would do well within the genre. We would suggest to them to carefully consider their song titles in future, because random song titles can work - particularly when you have an unusual and playful band name and EP title - but only when they are supported with equally random music. Again, have a listen at Panic! At The Disco; they are a different genre with a different audience, but their album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out should show our point about song titles.

Sean McGowan - EP ★★★★

We were asked to review Sean McGowan's EP, McGovernment. A young guy out of Southampton, his acoustic EP has 4 songs - Life, Home Is Where The Heart Is, Be Counted and This Old Town, and can be found on soundcloud.


Life starts with a lovely acoustic guitar solo, making the vocals a surprise. Singing in the style of Professor Green (this song in particular reminding us of Never Be A Right Time) but a similar tone to Danny O'Donoghue of The Script, there is a uniqueness to Sean's voice. His lyrics are,  in a way, similar to The Script's We Cry, as he discusses life in England as he sees it.


Home Is Where The Heart Is starts with softer lyrics and more singing rather than pop-rap. Building up to a stronger bridge section with equally strong vocals, and would do well if released as a single. 


Be Counted starts off with a more upbeat guitar piece and faster lyrics, showing a bit more diversity from the young musician. Once again, he has clever lyrics and manages to put his points across well.


This Old Town is another faster paced tune, with a bit more of an indie feel in the cheery music and way the lyrics are sang (particularly over the chorus). The introduction of backing vocals is a nice touch, as is the almost acapella bridge. Definitely a radio-friendly song.


An acoustic EP is relatively risky, particularly with the style of vocals Sean is going for. However, we feel he managed to pull this off well and showed a variety in his voice that was unusual and endearing. The lyrics themselves were smart and stood out against the acoustic guitar, making the listener really hear what he was trying to say. Although this is not the music we would usually go for, we feel that is was easy-listening and radio-friendly given the current chart music trends. Aimed at the right market, we think this is good enough to take him far sooner rather than later.

Relevant Discord - EP ★★★★

Relevant Discord is a band based in Southern Oregon, U.S.A., with regular frontman Nicholas Depew and a rotation of other musicians. We reviewed Dual Singles, a well-recorded EP from 'the studio team that introduced the world to TOOL and System Of A Down,' namely Sylvia Massy and Rich Veltrop. You can stream and purchase the EP from their website.


The first track on the EP is titled The Days Of Deferment. Starting off with just a piano playing a basic tune, it builds up to a strong guitar and drum intro. The vocals are well suited to the song, reminding us a little of 12 Stones. A huskier backing vocal (Nickelback-esk) compliments the lead as the chorus kicks in. There is a nice incorporation of orchestral instruments, primarily a violin if we are not mistaken, which works very well. The instrumental is another firm piece of music, making this a fantastic song.


The second track is The Refrain, a slower effort but with confident, clear vocals and definite drum beat during the first verse. The chorus is similar to the first tracks in that it is built up to and is powerful, with orchestral instruments thrown back in. It has a very interesting bridge section, where the vocals get harsher and the music is more dynamic.


This band would go down well with fans of Breaking Benjamin, Evanescence, even HIM. They have very nice and fairly unique lead vocals, as well as a rare use of orchestral intruments that were well recorded on this EP, and I can see the band doing well. It would possibly be advantageous if the band had more than one regular member, as currently it seems less like a band and more like a solo artist. Not a big deal and makes no noticeable difference on the EP, but could work out better for touring as people pay to see the whole band. Regardless of band set-up, the EP sounded amazing, and could only have been improved if there were more tracks or if it had been a complete album.

The Madding Crowd - EP ★★★

The Madding Crowd, a new band out of Manchester, asked us to review their new EP They'll Love You More For Who You Are Not, available for download and listening to on soundcloud. This EP consists of 5 songs, A Cloud On The Horizon, Darling, Oh Minister!, A Glorious Comedy and The Human Stain.

A Cloud On The Horizon has the classic long intro of drums and guitar, sounding quite rock, grunge even. This makes the vocals a surprise when they kick in - reminiscent of Oasis, even Arctic Monkeys with that lilt in the voice and slight indie squawkiness. Not necessarily a bad thing, something we have come to expect from Mancunians and indeed indie music, but surprising all the same given the instrument use. The song itself has a good chorus, but would not suggest it as a single from the record.

Darling is a much more upbeat track, starting in a way that reminds us of the Kooks and similar. A catchy tune that was recorded and mixed very well for such a new band, it definitely gets the toe tapping and would make for a nice single.

Oh, Minister! is another indie tune, with an interesting guitar solo in the middle. Sing-along lyrics would make this a good gig tune, and is of a style of music I think this band should pursue.

A Glorious Comedy starts with the sound of a static of a radio being tuned, and works into a guitar playing solo. A slow drumbeat kicks in for a long intro before the vocals. The vocals are distorted with an echo effect, which works well for this kind of song. Although not upbeat like the previous two, it does get more powerful throughout with a brilliant guitar push.

The Human Stain is a bit more punk than the previous tracks, and the chaotic mix of instruments with the fast-paced vocals is an interesting change to the previous tracks on the EP. Could be a winner if this band choose to go down the punk route.

In summary, this a a mixed bag of an EP. We feel that the band perhaps don't know their focus yet, and it is difficult to attach them to a genre. In our opinion, they should pursue the indie pop route as the vocals lend themselves to that style, with Darling and Oh, Minister! being favourites of the record. They could also do well if they were to lean towards punk. For a new band, this is a good start and their eclectic mix of songs should each be well received by different audiences.

Panic! At The Disco ★★★★

Barrowlands, Glasgow. 28/01/2012


[me] 8.00 - 8.30
Panic! At The Disco 9.00 - 10.30


Going to see any band usually has a fan excited, but for this Panic! At The Disco gig, we were feeling apprehensive. Why? Think about the history of Panic! -their debut album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out was an unusual but fantastic combination of post-hardcore lyrics and theatrical music, with a live show to match. Losing the ! for the second album, the band were automatically less dynamic. Excluding a couple of songs, Pretty. Odd. was much more restrained, heading down the indie route with dashes of folk thrown in. The performances also, although musically correct, lacked the character most Fever fans had come to expect. We deliberately didn't listen to third album Vices & Virtues before this gig as we wanted a surprise, to see how the band had progressed live as well as on disc. 


Starting the night were Australians lads [me]. Most of the band were in matching uniforms and let quirky frontman Luke Ferris lead the show. He had an impressive vocal range and was amusing to watch as he moved between the piano and front of the stage. Although not quite as good as Panic!, some of their songs reminded us of the headliners earlier work, giving that glimmer of hope that the show to come would be like the good old days. Handing out leaflets and badges throughout the night, they were definitely memorable. With their varied musical features and entertaining show, they were well-chosen as a support band for Panic!.

Panic! opened with Ready To Go from Vices & Virtues and our nerves washed away. Frontman Brendon Urie was bounding around, acting out the lyrics and engaging the audience. The crowd was jumping non-stop and singing along to the upbeat theatrical songs as Panic! flitted between their first and third album with the likes of Camisado, The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage and Let's Kill Tonight. The band then performed Nine In The Afternoon and That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed) from Pretty. Odd. before carrying on with their first/third album roulette. The encore was not as we expected, finishing with Nearly Witches rather than I Write Sins Not Tragedies, which had concluded the main set. This said, the whole performance was fantastic, showing Panic!s return to theatrical rock. The only thing missing was the circus-like stage, but with the show they gave there is no doubt that the next Panic! album and tour will be even more over-the-top.