Who: The Fences, Luke La Volpe, Paris Street Rebels
Where: King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow
When: 5th Jan 2019
Over the past few years the lovely folk at King Tuts have been kicking off the year in the only way they know how, by curating a month of the best new music as part of their New Year Revolution gigs. Tonight, it was the turn of The Fences, boisterous newcomers from Clydebank, backed by fabulous support from Luke La Volpe and Paris Street Rebels.
First up we have the Paris Street Rebels, who bring their own brand of rock n roll, with all the heart of 70s punk. Through no fault of the band, their set time seemed disappointingly short, despite this they managed to pack in a varied set, invoking the likes of New York Dolls and The Cribs.
Future single “I Don’t Wanna Die Young” due to out at the end of January, was a highlight as lead singers Kevin and Grant share the mic in true Libertines style. Each PSR performance has a feeling of unpredictability, a key quality for any live band, this sheer abandonment goes hand-in-hand with the fun they have on stage, it’s infectious and makes for a captivating watch. Finishing in style with their debut single ‘Freakshow’, leaving those who came down early in little doubt these boys are in for a big 2019.
Must Listen: Freakshow
Remember the name: Luke La Volpe, a band who originally formed after several practice sessions for fun back in 2017. Full of summer exuberance and excited by the prospect of making music together, they then released three singles later that year and have been attracting fans ever since.
Once you catch them live, you soon understand the hype as their bluesy, rock 'n' roll sound is a refreshing alternative, matched with frontman Luke’s powerful vocals, similar in style to that of classic 50s like Sinatra and Andy Williams.
On stage you see each member’s original style, from the high, plucking bassist to the low-swinging guitarist and the ambidextrous drummer, yet all gel together with impressive ease. Second single ‘Dancing with Shadows’ provides the chance for Luke to shine like Alex Turner at his crooning best.
Must Listen: Judging Books
No singles, no Spotify, barely a SoundCloud to speak of, but less than 10months as a band, The Fences are here in Glasgow headlining King Tuts, it’s the stuff of dreams. Following in the footsteps of indie hero’s Fray and Gallagher, frontman Aidan prowls on stage and from the off you know they mean business.
With big choruses, sing-a-longs, guitar solos, fans on shoulders (briefly), it had all the hallmarks of a Generation-Z indie gig, minus the flares. As the well-structured set progressed, there was a nice moment when the pace dropped, and we heard their acoustic side with ‘Going Under’.
The young 5-piece have played only a handful of headline shows, therefore very much at the start of their music career, however if they can harness their enthusiasm, “no shits given” attitude and genuine musicianship, then the future is bright. It’s an incredible start to the year for The Fences, I’m sure this night will live long in their memory for the band, family and friends who all made it through.
Now they need to build upon the word-of-mouth momentum with singles and gigging throughout the year.
Words: David Campbell