Friday 28th November 2008 @ Anson Rooms, Bristol

Glasvegas visit Bristol during a period of relative calm following the hype that was poured upon them during the festival season. With a mass of effects pedals and only two drums, the Glasgow band came to the Anson Rooms playing to an audience of students and middle-aged men normally seen at U2 concerts.

There were moments last night when Glasvegas proved themselves to be worthy of Radio One’s fawning. Sycophantic though Edith Bowman is, it was hard not to share her enthusiasm when the band knocked out fan favourite Geraldine midway through the set.

As the gig progressed, I couldn’t help being reminded of a scene from Hitchcock’s classic film ‘Rear Window’ when the wheelchair-bound would-be victim of the advancing murderer has only his flash bulb camera to protect himself. Using the powerful flash from his camera, he is able to stun and dumbfound the killer to slow him down. At the time I saw it as a ridiculous defence from an approaching psychopath, last night however I couldn’t help feel a tinge of sympathy for the killer as my eyes were punished by the lights behind the band. Similarly, the intended effect of the mass of lights at a Glasvegas gig is to stun you. As you stand there shocked and gawping at the silhouettes of the band in a childlike trance, your senses are vulnerable to the echoed guitars and eerie croon of the front man and to their credit it actually works, just at the expense of your retinas.

Set closer Daddy’s Gone was the most well received song of the night; a beautiful love song written from a son to his dad who is never around.

The telling of this band will be their second album. While their sound is certainly original in comparison to the mass of bland indie bands around at the moment, at times it was hard to distinguish between songs due to their strict adherence to the same set of effects pedals. Glasvegas have the pomp of U2 without the pretension. Endearing songs about ice cream vans and getting stabbed are an unexpected compliment to their big sound, they are well worth seeing live.

www.glasvegas.net

Richard Hall