“Uplifting tracks and energy packed performing.”
Scottish alt-pop quartet Wukasa made their return to Edinburgh’s famous Sneaky Pete’s. This time they headlined again but as part of Central Belters, which showcases the best local talents and this lineup was a perfect example of such talents. With support from Mosaics and BOOTlace, this was a lineup that boasted three of the best upcoming local talents out there.
Mosaics
Kicking off the night filled with incredible music were Mosaics. The Fife band’s music centres around indie-rock, and the five-piece’s energetic performance wasn’t one you could forget. They are fronted by Alex Wilson on vocals, Liam Napier on drums, Duncan Lawrie on bass, Jack Bryce on rhythm guitar, and Roy Jarvis on lead guitar. Each member of the band looked like they had lots of fun performing, particularly the latter guitarist, Roy Jarvis, who really looked like he enjoyed the set. He danced his way through each song, drawing the crowd further into their already enticing support slot.
Their short but sweet setlist consisted of almost all original tracks. This included songs from their 2021 self-titled EP, and a live version of their latest song ‘27 Summers‘ from January 2023. They even threw in a catchy cover of Wet Leg’s popular track ‘Wet Dream‘. This went down very well with the crowd, further proving their talents as a band that can recreate a popular track but not ruin it. I’m not always the biggest fan of covers, but when executed correctly like Mosaics have done, they can bring a whole group of individuals into music they perhaps weren’t otherwise familiar with.
This set from Mosaics was great fun to watch, with each of their personalities shining through, it was difficult not to smile and dance along with them. You can see them perform in Edinburgh again at Legends where they will be supporting Holy Coves on September 17th.
Feels Like Pluto
Next to take to the iconic stage were Scottish duo Feels Like Pluto. Drummer Josh Jackson accompanied vocalist and guitarist Louie Thomson on stage to perform live versions of their two currently released songs as well as a few unreleased ones. They were joined by a session bassist, Harry West, who helped bring each song to life. Working through very minor technical difficulties, Feels Like Pluto demonstrated true professionalism and maturity. Where some acts would have abandoned the set out of frustration, this group powered through and completed an otherwise very successful set.
Making up the two already released tracks are 2022 single ‘Open Mind‘ and 2023 single ‘people being people‘. Both of these tracks are very emotion-filled and have stories behind them that will resonate with everyone differently. Feels Like Pluto did an incredible job at creating gorgeous renditions of these songs, introducing the crowd to their meaningful lyricism and mesmerising melodies. These were played alongside tracks that are yet to be released. Feels Like Pluto are always a favourite of mine to see live, every time they seem to introduce something new into their live sets and they just keep on getting more and more confident in their abilities.
You can see Feels Like Pluto in their final Edinburgh gig for a while on October 20th. They will be supporting Rivyrs alongside 2 other support acts in Edinburgh’s Wee Red Bar.
Wukasa
Hometown headliners Wukasa took to the stage and from the first note, it was obvious that the Sneaky Pete’s crowd was pulled into a melodic trance. The four-piece make music that can be categorised as alt-pop and every song they release is creatively captivating. They are fronted by vocalist Conor and made up of Jordan on drums, Kieran on synth, and Scott on guitar and keys. Wukasa are no strangers to headlines, especially in this iconic venue. In January they headlined the Edinburgh club in a sold-out gig promoting a recent single, as well as boasting their talents when playing previously unreleased tracks.
Their short time on stage was filled with the catchiest of their music catalogue including latest single ‘Party People‘. They also played other popular tunes included ‘Rumours‘, ‘Nic Cage‘, and ‘California‘. Frontman Conor’s stage presence was on a level of it’s own. He used the stage to his advantage, covering the whole of it and dancing along with each track.
Wukasa are a great band to see live, their uplifting tracks and energy packed performing made for an intriguing sight. Each of their personalities shine through when showing off their talents behind each respective instrument. Their next songs are bound to continue their dance-infused signature style that they’ve worked so hard on. If you get the chance to see Wukasa then don’t miss that opportunity, it won’t be a show you regret going to!