Drummonds was bringing it with the bookings this weekend. It was another evening of local live talent but this time with a French twist. The Velvet Room were the headliners of the evening, but it was the visiting Parisian rockers Fences\\\\ that had everyone talking pre-show.
First act of the evening were TigerDrive who woke everyone up with their fast and furious alternative emo sound. Their set was predominantly made up of tracks from their newly released EP PROVISIONAL, which packed quite the punch. Having only been active for less than a year, they are already showcasing a solid set worth of quality original material.
Frontwoman, Poppy Wishart, gave a confident and assured performance throughout the heavier tracks but it was Ruby, Enlighten Me which showcased what she could really do vocally, with a soaring chorus which demonstrated her range. These guys have a bright future and are definitely ones to watch in the local scene and beyond.
Next up it was Fences\\\\ all the way from Paris. However, it was clear from the sound of bagpipes at the start of their set where their influences came from. Beginning with standout track Living Out Of A Suitcase, Fences\\\\ evoked the huge euphoric sound of Biffy Clyro’s Opposite era. Working through an early technical issue, the 4-piece went on to give an absolutely stunning performance reminiscent of the Scottish rock scene in the 2010s which made me nostalgic for a time when I was never a week or two away from visiting a gig venue.
Heavy guitars, interesting meters, harmonic gang vocals and uplifting melodies were some of the aspects that reminded me of so much of the music I have known and loved growing up with in a scene that we can sometimes take for granted. Seeing a band from further afield talk about the importance of this music to them, brought back how lucky we are to have a long lineage of inspiring and creative musicians paving the way for others.
Lead singer Gianni Messia took to the front floor for their final song, bringing the audience into their space and it was truly special to see a band of this calibre in a venue this size. I see huge things in their future with this tour hopefully securing them many new fans in the UK. A trip to Paris anyone?
Like a great wine pairing, Palejoy were the perfect companion to Fences\\\\, showing similar influences in their writing, particularly in the amount of heavy riffage going on. However, it was the millennial audio references between tracks which added character and humour to their set.
The infamous Come Dine With Me kick off was played before launching into their latest release What A Sad Little Life, Jane, and other clips included key moments from Shrek and The Office (U.S.). Dual vocals of Jamie Reid and Dale Sutherland added texture and emotional heft to their sound whilst drummer Kieran Angus played with an impressive level of power and skill. Palejoy left it all on the stage, with Dale ending the set face down having given every last ounce of energy to their music.
Closing out the show were tonight’s hometown heroes, The Velvet Room. Influenced by blues, rock and indie, they took elements of Courteeners, Arctic Monkey’s AM and the best parts of Oasis to produce a set full of original songs. The Velvet Room attracted a solid audience who were enthusiastic and familiar with their material.
Lead Singer James Massie had a comfortable rapport with the audience making light work of stage chat between tracks and ensuring everyone was having a fantastic Saturday night out. Their cover of Fontaines D.C.’s Boys in the Better Land intrigued those who were seeing the band for the first time, but it was their love letter to Aberdeen, Granite City that stood out, showing the peaks of their writing power. Other highlights included Pinnochio and the newly released set closer that was Feet Don’t Fail Me Now.
Overall this was an exciting and varied showcase of talent and a great way to introduce a touring band to the sound of a city.
You can check out a Q+A Fences\\\\ did with us earlier in the month here.
You can also listen to highlights from the gig in the playlist below.