Pictured- the King Tut’s crowd, photo by Simona Montella for Discovery Music.
I shmoozed on down to night 16 of the King Tut’s Summer Nights on Sunday not knowing what to expect, and I was met with a lineup of 4 very talented bands that I can’t believe I hadn’t heard prior. First impressions matter- and these bands did not disappoint.
I’d never seen King Tuts this busy on a Sunday night, the buzz in the wee bar downstairs helped amp me up before the Glasgow alt rock 4-piece Lonely Daze took to the stage. They kicked off with quite a brooding track, building an air of mystique that was aided by their witchy female vocalist. The band played us a selection of their genre spanning tracks that were chock full of extravagant breakdowns and a whole lot of feeling. I liked the versatility of their tracks, one track was especially foreboding and performed on a dimly lit stage through the smoke, whereas others were sunnier or punkier. From sultry-fierce to dance-punk, I was impressed. They have recently released their first EP Caesura, which I encourage you to give a listen.
Pictured- Lonely Daze, photo by @alli.stills (Instagram).
Next up we had the bluesy percussive sounds of Esther’s Wife, who cruised onto the stage decked out in bolo ties- which was intriguing. I often find it’s hard to pull off singing with a Scottish accent, but they did it with elegance. Their enthusiasm was apparent in their performance, and their songs took us through the motions- often building from a lull to a powerful crescendo. They reminded me of a western family band, and they were a comforting presence to have on stage in the busy wee venue. I didn’t know what to expect from Esther’s Wife, but I wasn’t disappointed. Buckshot and Holy Cow (both of which caught my ear live) are available to stream/download, so get on it!
Pictured- Esther’s Wife (from instagram @estherswife.hq).
Jack Hill came on next; the independent artist was accompanied by 3 other band members and delivered us a set of his original songs. The tracks were reminiscent of 90s retro rock and roll and had the whole crowd up dancing. One track really reminded me of early Arctic Monkeys; Jack Hill certainly has that unmistakable indie swagger. Powerful tracks and colourful vocals, the artist gave us tracks that were packed full of emotion and storytelling, like the song Clinically Insane– which was probably my personal highlight of the set. Another great Glaswegian artist with music released, so give him a listen!
Pictured- Jack Hill– Clinically Insane artwork.
Up last we had Mantel, who set up their instruments in a dim blue light as the now very packed crowd waited in anticipation. When they eventually took to the stage, there was a roaring cheer from the crowd that told me I was in for a seriously good last act. This 5 piece gave us a great mix of their punchy tracks, fronted by powerful female vocals that gave their alternative rock sound a soulful edge. Another band of performers that had the audience wrapped around their finger, I specifically enjoyed Run Wild Fred- it’s a song you can’t help but two step to hearing it live. I’d describe this band as the lovechild of Wolf Alice and The Black Keys, I loved it. Once again, this band has 3 singles released, so give them a listen- I also highly recommend you see a Mantel show in the future, they’ve got it going on.
Pictured- Mantel, by Simona Montella for Discovery Music.
I had a great Sunday night at gig 16 of King Tuts Summer Nights, it’s such a fabulous way to discover new talent and support your local music scene/musicians. My advice to you: go get a ticket for another night! Turn up blind and see what’s in store! Supporting grassroots music is more important than ever, and you might even stumble across 4 brilliant new bands like I did.
Photo by Simona Montella for Discovery Music.
Ella Jay