When I decided to attend and review this gig I had no idea it was going to be in the middle of a freak Scottish heatwave, so understandably I had reservations about being in what is essentially a basement on the hottest day of the year at a hardcore gig as they’re notoriously hot and sweaty.
I stand envying the tiny pink shorts sported by Let it Die’s lead singer, from a function, not fashion point of view.
While nursing my cheap Becks, I descend into what I think is going to be a sweaty man-cave (avoiding the advertised cocktail “The Glasgow Megadeth Bloody Mary” – Warning, Hot).
But I am pleasantly surprised.
While awaiting the first band, I survey the room, the twenty or so of us there probably consist mainly of the bands that are to come, while some hip-hop beats fill in the silence.
First up are WheelchairX4, their slow intro abruptly interrupted by a grindy as fuck blast with snarling vocals.
Blast beats and riffs a plenty.
Before I know they’ve begun the singer disappointingly announces that “we’ve two songs left”.
Their pleasantly named last song ‘Ice Cream Soda’ makes for a cracking chugging finale.
The room is starting to heat up now and I abandon my beer momentarily to take up the complimentary life-saving water, a cake festooned with candles also oddly arrives.
Bloomin ‘eck! Laying it all on tonight!
So, next on is Voe, an airy sound-scape eerily plays as the lights are cut.
A guitar twangs out a riff while we ominously await the singer’s vocals.
Voe play a decent doom intro and then a rumbling drum signals the next song.
They’re a slower pace than what WheelchairX4 lured us into but their menacing riffs start to get my head to nod in time.
They brutally plod along, if I was to put their music to an image it would be akin to a screwdriver having a root around the inside of a working engine.
After Voe exit, the return of our hip-hop beats let us breathe a sigh of relief and relax.
The next band is Gunfinger, the heat is really starting to rise now so much so that the vocalist is taking up the Glasgow tradition of “Taps Aff”.
They play power violence with some fantastic chug-a-long riffs and crushing beatdowns.
The singer introduces a song about living in Glasgow and how good the bands are.
Unfortunately judging by tonight’s crowd, it’s not a feeling that everyone has.
The second to last song has a sleazy riff that almost has me joining the singer and taking my top off too.
In contrast to that, the last songs marching beat keeps everything and everyone in check.
Ok, so on next we have Sufferinfuck, “What a strange name” I pondered.
Then they begin and the name seems to fit perfectly.
Really loud and really fast, absolutely relentless, I reckon it is an average of thirty seconds per song.
I start to lose track of how many songs, but would hazard a guess at about fifteen played in total.
After studying them a bit more, firstly I notice they have Bill Bailey on guitar and secondly, that their average age is ever so slightly higher than our previous bands.
This does not deter them however, they deliver their music ferociously like they have something to teach these whippersnappers.
They end on a song with a bit of spoken word over a squealing guitar, brutal stuff.
Now, there’s been the old switcheroo, Razoreater are on early.
They are a blend of metalcore/grind/hardcore and seem to animate a rather subdued crowd, probably down to the enthusiasm of the lead singer.
Fast fast fast blast beats are the name of the game here with some tight tight tight beatdowns, while a swaggering lead guitar ties it all together.
The singer asks the crowd “Why anyone would come out to see us ugly bastards?” with tongue in cheek modesty (I reckon had there been a girl in the audience, she’d be swooning).
Bill Bailey shoots me a glance and we make awkward eye contact for a second before being interrupted by some growling vocals.
At last some camaraderie down the front with people dancing, the soundman making the machine gun-esque blast beats that are delivered with such precision sound as good as they deserve to.
The grand finale is Let it Die, before we are graced with their presence we are blessed with some more hip-hop.
Our man on vocals finds time to change from his aforementioned pink shorts for an even tinier patterned pair – a man truly in charge of his own wardrobe.
We get the lights out again, this time it’s some head banging hardcore and our vocalist is really excitable, perhaps partly down to Razoreater’s infectious enthusiasm.
Massive beatdowns, screaming vocals and some crackling blastbeats come together to provide an electric performance.
The frontman’s friendly banter delivered in an even friendlier voice is a refreshing change for the night.
The night’s capped off perfectly and what is left of the crowd are left buzzing and content.
It is a great night to lose my Glasgow hardcore virginity but I’m disappointed that there was such a small crowd, especially for a Saturday night.
£5 for 6 bands. VFM, people, VFM.
Words: Ben Nairn
Thanks for coming down, it was definitely a disappointing turnout but it’s encouraging that those who came seem to have enjoyed it! In general there is a lot more enthusiasm for this kind of thing than was on display on Saturday night, in fact the Jungbluth show at McNeills the following night had a fantastic turnout and atmosphere. Anyway, cheers for the review and hopefully you’ll be able to see what I’m talking about at other shows!
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