Scottish stars, ‘Spyres’ embrace the stage at career defining gig.
What’s the Score?
As I stepped into the nave of the church, I couldn’t decide why the room seemed so much smaller than I last remembered. Maybe it was because I was so used to gigs in small, cramped basements some years before. It could have been age, meaning that, even in your late-teens, things could still seem larger than life… I finally decided it was just the drink and recalled the last time I was here.
A small band on the rise, finally signed to a major label and only going higher and higher till one day they would reach the top of the charts. It was the Snuts! Now a band of similar, if not even greater potential have sold out this impressive venue. Signed to a label themselves recently, ‘Spyres’, would be following their predecessors into what could be a milestone in a long, successful career and I was ready to see it all in action.
Sterling Press
First up were a band I thought sounded like they were from the south of England but later found they were actually from Liverpool of all places! ‘Sterling Press’, have a very youthful, snot-nosed, ‘Undertones’-esque, aura about them. Appearing on stage like a bunch of miscellaneous students that found each other looking for booze in a plant filled house party, ‘Sterling Press’, have a cool, half energetic, half nonchalant stage presence and tunes to match.
They are boys who clearly love the band and the music they play. Ripping into rock-indie anthems that could soundtrack the first hour of a good night out. They sound like a mix of ‘Blur’, ‘Radiohead’ and ‘The Hives’. Three bands I’m not really keen on (if at all!) but these boys make it work with plenty of life, feedback and melody to fill a room with. It will be interesting to see what these guys do in the future.
Uninvited
Next on stage were a band I’d seen a few times and wasn’t always sure what I thought about them. I liked a few tunes but I’d never been mad about them or anything. This sentiment however, was cleary not shared with the rest of the crowd who burst into life as soon as the opening notes of single, ‘Behind the Black Door’, crashed through the room. ‘Uninvited’, seemed a changed band from the last time I’d seen them…
The four-piece were oozing with confidence and feeding off the crowd who clearly loved and admired them. The set had also become a lot tighter with new songs being played that conveyed a well, welcomed evolution to the bands narrative. ‘Party Song’, ‘Portrait of a Femme’ and their unreleased closer were personal favourites of mine. One of the bands greatest assets is that, like the headliner of the night, the four-piece have two brilliant vocalists who’s different tones and combined harmonies, really add to their songs. As ‘Uninvited’, left the stage, the crowd were successfully warmed up for the main act of the night.
Spyres
We’d had the Thursday night praise. Now it was time for the Sermon. ‘Spyres’ claimed the stage for their own and wasted no time messing about, firing straight into their catchy ode to the unders: ‘Fake I.D’. The reason this band hold a stage so well is that they are skilled crafters of the pop song. Armed with plenty of catchy choruses that could rouse a crowd and even bring a group of conservative nuns to elation. It was hit after hit with singles such as ‘I Don’t Care’, ‘Lost Without You’, ‘Honestly’ among others.
However, ‘Spyres’, are not a one trick pony. There was a good few heavier songs in their set which were my favourites of the night. Songs like, ‘Test’, ‘See Right Through You’ and closer, ‘Deceptacon’, really brought the energy in the room from a 10 to an 11 to quote an old film. Beaming with humility, one of the lead singers thanked the people who they believed deserved to be thanked and throughout the performance you could see the band as a whole trying to comprehend what they’d achieved and all the while enjoying every minute of it.
Wrapping It All Up
With a night filled with talent and jubilation, it makes me thankful that we live in a country that prefers music and drink over religion. There was a time when people fled to this church to exercise belief and worship. ‘Spyres’, a great rising Scottish band, proved that still to this day, people still use this church for that very same reason!
Don’t just listen to my opinions and digressions. Have a listen for yourself and support local music!