“They’ll be back for more in no time.”
On January 27th, I headed back to a packed out Sneaky Pete’s for three of Scotland’s most exciting up and coming bands. Non-Applicable and STRAiD support Edinburgh’s own Dazed and Confused for a sold out night showcasing the best of local talents. With each of the bands having played in the venue before on various occasions, it was interesting to see how they would all work together.
Support 1: Non-Applicable
West Lothian quintet, Non-Applicable, took to the Sneaky Pete’s stage first. Having sold out the memorable venue for their own headline show previously, Non-Applicable made their return to the iconic stage. With a setlist full of foot-tapping tempos and catchy melodies, they kept the crowd entertained for their set’s entire duration.
At one point during their set, their bassist and singer swapped places for one song. I’ve only ever really seen this once before with The Tropicanas, another Scottish band, whose band members all played multiple roles within the band. Guitar heavy and bass infused indie-rock tunes floated around the intimate venue. Their setlist was filled with original material including 2023 tracks ‘Julius Caesar‘ and their most recent single ‘Mount Monsoon‘.
Non-Applicable have an exciting sound that make them a band to watch. Like with every band on this lineup, they have the potential to make it huge and having previously sold out a few different venues for headlines, they’re definitely bound to continue with their successes.
Support 2: STRAiD
Up next were Glasgow quintet STRAiD. Following on from Non-Applicable, this was also a return to Sneaky Pete’s. While they haven’t headlined this particular venue, they have headlined various Glasgow venues including King Tut’s as well as supporting fellow Scots Daytime TV.
STRAiD blew the crowd away with their eclectic yet seamless sound. If you fused together musical elements from array of different bands including Guns N Roses, Biffy Clyro and Royal blood, you’d result in a band like STRAiD. They forge together the heavier sound from those bands with thoughtful and purposeful lyrics like the approach from projects like Wunderhorse. Starting with their track ‘Meaningless‘, and playing others including popular tune ‘Alone Again‘, it was clear that the band have already accumulated groups of fans who sang along with their released tunes.
I’m glad I could finally catch STRAiD live, their infectious indie and heavier rock sound is so intriguing to listen to and by the looks of the expressions on faces in the crowd, it was clear that they impressed all of those there. Even though the gig was a sell out, I was pleasantly surprised by how many people came out early to watch the support acts. Noticing the head-nodding and impressed looks on people’s faces, it was clear that this wasn’t a decision they would regret.
Headline: Dazed & Confused
Headlining the sold out event were Dazed & Confused. Like the other two bands, Dazed & Confused have previously played in Sneaky Pete’s but this was their first time headlining the lineup there. Having already headlined venues like King Tut’s and Mono, the Edinburgh quartet are no strangers to taking charge of a stage and demanding deserved attention.
Their seamless set had its foundation placed by funk-infusing basslines from Archie Brewis and driving drumming and Alfie Smith. Demanding further attention, electrifying solos and riffs from Ruariadh Rattray and vibrant vocals from singer Callum O’Reilly filled the venue.
In a previous review I wrote for Dazed & Confused, I said that “nobody seems to be doing it as well as this Edinburgh group” and I still fully stand by this statement. The primary thing about this lineup is that each band complimented each other without clashing, but they all had something unique about them that makes their sound memorable. Dazed & Confused are no different, their funky fusion of concepts and styles leaves you wanting more.
With a striking and well thought-out setlist full of both unreleased and released tracks, they kept new fans captivated while also still engaging returning fans. Their newest era of tracks including ‘Burn‘, ‘Come Around‘ and latest release ‘Swamp Song‘ became the forefront of the performance. They pushed their new, invigorating and exciting sound, showing how versatile their style is and will continue to be by adding onto their setlist with currently unreleased material.
While their new sound was the main focus of the headline gig, they entertained dedicated listeners with older songs like ‘1000 Guitars‘ and ‘Red Road‘ providing a nostalgic foundation to where their journey as a band started. If you’re a fan of genres like funk, rock or psychedelia (with or without substances) or bands like Wunderhorse, Led Zeppelin or Aerosmith, then Dazed & Confused are a band you should see live. They have a mature level of performing and showmanship that some older bands lack and if their sets continue to be as captivating as this headline slot, then they’ll be back for more in no time.
Next Show
You can catch Dazed & Confused live in another headline show in Glasgow’s SWG3. Taking place on March 8th, this will be another show full of energy and infectious tunes. With support from The Exhales and Kloans, this is a stellar lineup you won’t want to miss out on.