Circa Waves made their return to Glasgow on February 17th, taking over the iconic Barrowland Ballroom after their sold-out intimate show at Saint Luke’s last year.
The venue was heaving with energy as the Newcastle indie group delivered a thrilling hour and a half set to an eager crowd, kicking things off with ‘Do You Wanna Talk’ from album ‘Never Going Under,’ released in 2023. In addition, the band played tunes from ‘Sad Happy,’ their 2020 album, featuring iconic tracks ‘Be Your Drug,’ ‘Jaqueline’ and ‘Move to San Francisco’ which evoked a strong sense of nostalgia as we listened to their sound change over the years.
Lead singer Kieran Shudall welcomed the Glasgow audience with enthusiasm, “This one’s a good one to dance to, if you’ve got a friend you want to do a romantic dance with,” he said before diving into ‘Lemonade,’ their joint song with Alfie Templeman. The crowd responded by transforming into what Kieran playfully dubbed a “sexy mosh pit,” with fans getting on shoulders and swinging their arms in unison. The energy remained high as they seamlessly transitioned into ‘Sorry I’m Yours,’ keeping the momentum alive.
Their newest album ‘Death & Love, Pt.1,’ which was recently made available on platforms in January of this year, singles ‘Le Bateau,’ ‘Let’s Leave Together,’ and ‘Everything Changed’ were played, giving the Glasgow crowd a fresh taster of their newest album, with of course their highly anticipated tunes slotted in amongst the set. Midway through, the band surprised the audience by celebrating a birthday, leading everyone in a chorus of “Happy Birthday” for bandmate Dan before launching into ‘Fire That Burns.’
After a brief intermission, they returned with ‘Carry You Home,’ showcasing fun, choppy guitar riffs and passionate, emotionally driven lyrics. Kieran then teased the crowd with their biggest hit, asking, “Should we have one last dance? Well, okay then, are you ready?”, the crowd erupted as they launched into ‘T-Shirt Weather,’ the atmosphere electric with red moody lights and fog enhancing the experience.
Overall, Circa Waves delivered yet another memorable night in Glasgow filled with classic indie rock, listen to their new album below!