The Drive lead a stacked night at King Tut’s New Year Revolution
King Tut’s played host to one of the many stacked line-ups as part of King Tut’s New Year Revolution, a 21-night showcase running throughout January and celebrating the depth of Scotland’s live music scene. With some nights featuring four-band bills, the festival highlights just how many artists are stepping into the new year with momentum. On Sunday night, The Drive headlined the line up featuring Carmen, Ornum, and Blue Nicotine – and even at the tail end of the weekend, every band brought energy to the stage. Being able to both shoot and review one of these nights felt like a privilege, and a reminder that the scene doesn’t slow down just because it’s January.
Opening the night were Carmen, a three-piece who immediately leaned into groove and feel rather than forcing energy. The bassist was impossible to miss, constantly moving and locking into the rhythm, while the lead singer’s clean, soulful vocals carried effortlessly through the room. A new track aired early in the set brought clear summertime vibes – a welcome contrast to the rainy Glasgow evening – with softer moments building into an upbeat rhythm that had heads nodding across the venue. As the set progressed, songs picked up pace, drifting into pop-punk territory with funky guitar rhythms and a chonky bassline that earned one of the loudest early applause breaks of the night. Closing on Dandelion, Carmen left the room warm, vibing, and ready for more.
Next up, Ornum arrived with confidence, even if their set kicked off slightly behind schedule. Any delay was quickly forgotten as the band settled into a groove-heavy flow, led by a frontman whose cheeky Glaswegian banter gave way to a smooth and surprisingly soulful vocal delivery. Backing vocals from the guitarist added depth, while the drummer’s almost marching-band style grip stood out visually and rhythmically. A mid-set cover, from popular series K-pop Demon Hunters reworked in their own style, showed off the band’s playful side, before newer material like Nothing Lasts Forever leaned into dreamy, healing energy with jammy guitar builds and soaring vocals. Despite going over their set time, Ornum kept the crowd engaged throughout and finished on a high.
By the time Blue Nicotine hit the stage, the room was noticeably fuller. Returning to King Tut’s after previously headlining a sold-out show in September, frontman Aidan mentioned that it felt strange in a good way, being back in the venue so soon. The crowd response started slightly shy at first the band calls out playfully. Whether it was January fatigue, post-holiday burnout, or the hangover of a packed year of gigs, there was a brief lull in energy from parts of the room – however that hesitation didn’t last long. By the third song, singalong sections rang out loudly from the pit, and the band’s energy quickly pulled the crowd in with them. A nice moment came when Aidan took time to show off the back of his guitar, taped with the numbers “2026” – joking that it took far longer to stick on than expected – but the smile at what 2026 is to bring means there’s more in store for Blue Nicotine. With new, heavier material teased and the crowd pleased to hear – sadly followed with the band having the difficult task of choosing between two songs for the ending of their set due to running out of time, ‘1985’ being the chosen one – Blue Nicotine closed out looking firmly toward the year ahead.
Headlining the night were The Drive, taking the stage to a room more than ready for them. From the outset, their chemistry was undeniable, with all five members feeding off each other’s energy. New material sat comfortably alongside fan favourites, with tracks like Mary Jane and Love Set drawing big reactions from the front rows.
Guitarist Steph gets their vocal moment brought to life with phone lights being held in the air, while slower moments still carried weight thanks to heavy basslines and a crowd willing to stomp, sing, and fully commit. I felt like I’d pick the right side of the stage to enjoy their set after being in the photo pit – clearly good friends and fans of the members of The Drive as they bounced and cheered all night long, speaking to them after the set seeing how proud they were – always look for the people in the crowd vibing if you want to have a good time at a gig on your own I’d say. Frontman interaction stayed constant, dropping into the barrier to sing with fans, while the band leaned fully into the chaos of a home crowd – even replaying a track when Glasgow didn’t quite deliver it loud enough the first time.
A special shout-out has to go to drummer Emily Irvine, who is pulling triple duty across New Year Revolution with three separate sets during the festival. It really is true what they say about drummers being in five bands at once. Relentless, locked-in, and driving the set forward from start to finish, Emily was a reminder that drummers may be the unsung heroes at the back of the stage – but without them, everything falls apart.
Wrapping up just before 11pm, the night felt like a perfect snapshot of a thriving local scene – varied, driven, and fuelled by genuine connection between bands and crowd. Even on a Sunday night in January, the energy was there.
Photos and Review by Katy Shewan / Katy’s Studio
