Gig Review | Wargasm | The Garage, Glasgow | 24.10.2022

We’re well and truly underway for the post festival gig onslaught that takes us nicely up to the festive period and tonight I headed along Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street to get head first in about one of the most chaotic bands around at the moment. Londoner’s, Wargasm bring their Explicit tour to the iconic Garage fresh off the back of the albums release only last month.  

The tour so far has brought the carnage you’d expect from a Wargasm show and tonight really was no different. It was an evening of not only an incredible headliner, but two very well-placed support acts showcasing the power and talent of 3 insanely good female fronted bands. The queue stretching down the street as the Glasgow streetlights beam down on an eager crowd itching to walk below the iconic truck above the Garage doors ready to fill the room.

First up to set the night alight was Brighton 5-piece Knife Bride – referring to their sound as glitter pop slut metal, they certainly brought their best work to kick off things in the most gripping way. Greeted to a packed Garage main room this early in the night was a thing to behold and the seasiders gripped it two hands and gave it all they got. It didn’t take long for the pits to open and the moshing to start, in only a 30-minute set you can see a real talent on stage.

Lead singer Mollie Clack launched her insane vocals to the back of the room, the whole band were as tight as I’d ever seen them before and trust me when I say I’ve yet to be let down. With a set so short they fired out only the best with tracks like Toilet Girl and Cage the Rat rippling through every ear drum in sight. To follow up with Grenade, a song that takes no prisoners, an empowering anthem exploring the theme of exploitation of women, everything from this track from its pointed lyrics and intense energy feels like a rallying cry of solidarity.

With the crowd fully warmed up and raring for the next act, who better to keep the party going than LA’s Bimbocore icon, Scene Queen. For those who haven’t seen a Scene Queen set before, I highly recommend that you do, I can assure you it’ll be a show you will never forget – she brings the party. Her loyal fan base came in their numbers with noticeable pink feathered garments spread throughout the venue with the incredible addition of a big stand out light up sign held up for her full set.

This slot had it all, from the iconic ‘twerkcle pits’ to a spectacular cover of Katy Perry’s I Kissed a Girl – that unsurprisingly got a great reception. Her set was concluded in style with her explosive recent single Barbie & Ken, a song that’s not what you expect but something you simply can’t stand still to. Pretty In Pink then followed before smashing her finale with a double hit of Pink Rover (yes it was that good she played it twice). From the first time I got to witness the Scene Queen experience, I knew there was something gripping about her show and yet again that’s been show. Don’t forget the name, she’s on her way to the top.

Photo by Kyle Watt

The time had finally arrived to lay all eyes on the main event – the crowd waited in anticipation still wiping the sweat from the previous set while others waited at the bar for a pint. The lights dimmer and the most bizarre yet insanely good walk out music – a mash up between Slipknot’s Before I Forget and The B 5’s Love Shack, it needs to be said at just how good it actually is, it works on so many levels. Enough of that for now that deserves its own limelight. On to the serious stuff, it’s Wargasm time – Sam and Milkie bounce on to the stage like hyperactive teens with no care in the world, Super Fiend gets things under way and the floor is shaking from the very off as you would fully expect, the feel in the room is electric.

Taking in the views in parts from the balcony above, the crowd moved in waves from front to back before the opening of a pit for every song that dropped. The odd crowd surfer would glide over the heads of the on lookers, and by the odd crowd surfer, I mean 93 to be exact later confirmed by the band on their socials thanking Glasgow for its chaos.

It’s the type of show you really can’t take your eyes off, from the constant action in the crowd to the energy on stage – both Sam and Milkie gave it all both with vocals that are spinetingling. The carnage brought from huge anthems like Pyro Pyro and DRILDO was a stunning sight to behold, you could tell from the expressions on the stage just how much fun the band were having and this was fully recipicted back from their fathful fans.

Photo by Kyle Watt

The band may ultimately be a due, however drummer Breeze sat at the back of the stage working his magic smashing away on the drums like it was last set on earth – along the stage guitarist Edison Hunter never even broke a sweat most of the night despite showing the Glasgow crowd his magic. More bangers fill the air with Rage All Over and Fukstar, as expected encourage more riots within the crowd with their eat the rich and we’d had enough sentiments.

You can see from tonight that the fast-rising popularity has been earned by merit and it comes as no surprise when you can see the sheer joy and admiration on each and every face on the other side of the barrier. There really is no shock that the biggest reaction of the night came from the final and most played song, Spit. There is certainly enough energy in this to power a small nation and both Milkey & Sam threw themselves into this with two feet – and I mean this in every sense of the words as Sam literally threw himself into the crowd.

From start to finish, from support to headliner, tonight’s show was a thing of real beauty and class to witness – it was something I had so much fun to be there and experience. As a long term Wargasm fan it’s a privilege to watch the band’s uprising, it really feels like it’s only the beginning because bigger things are close around the corner.

Photo by Kyle Watt