It’s 8:30 and a cheer goes up as Bear’s Den take to the stage; west end hipsters of all ages have donned their best flannel shirts and packed out the Oran Mor to hear the London based three-piece who are currently ascending the folk pop ranks.
“There’s a lot of you,” says a seemingly bewildered lead vocalist Andrew Davie; he’s right, but then again the band did support Mumford and Sons at their O2 arena show in 2012, so in the grand scheme of things this gig shouldn’t prove too daunting.
Their broad range of live experiences has clearly shaped the band, and as the first song kicks in it’s obvious that Bear’s Den know how to work a crowd.
They begin with ‘Elysium’, which opens quietly, then builds to an explosive climax before dropping to a beautiful section of acapella harmonies.
The Mumford influence is evident, but the band are careful to steer clear of copycat territory, with their success on this front being primarily achieved through their incredible musicianship and versatility.
A stunning example of this comes in the form of an acoustic rendition of ‘Sophie’, which is performed away from the mic; a risky strategy, which reaps great reward and creates an intimate moment filled with emotion and goose bumps.
New single ‘Agape’ is a clear favourite with the crowd and a late highlight of the set, with its poignant lyrics and rousing chorus still humming around the room as the band nip off before the encore.
On their return, Davie announces “we’re coming in” before descending into the crowd to play ‘Bad Blood’, the final track from their 2014 debut album Islands.
The night closes with a powerful performance of ‘Sahara Pt. II’ and a promise to return soon with more material – a promise that this besotted Glasgow audience are undoubtedly going to ensure is kept.
Words: Ellen Renton
Photos: Iain McDonagh
