Seven years after it's inaugural event, Wide Days has grown from strength to strength, showcasing the best Scotland has to offer. We find ourselves in La Belle Angele for this particular event, hosted by BBC Radio Scotland's very own, Vic Galloway. As a big supporter of local talent, it's always a good sign if you see Vic floating about. Back to the music - and what a lineup Wide Days provided tonight, with the excellent Lucia, Rascalton & CRYSTAL.
We begin with the loud, grunge/bluesy rock vibes of CRYSTAL, it's an impressive performance for this young band, lead by Anna shields. Riffs galore and an unexpected vocal range, it's the rock 'n' roll band Scotland is crying out for. Tonight was my first glimpse of CRYSTAL, but surely not the last. One to keep an eye on.
Glaswegian punks Rascalton followed, fresh from their BBC Scotland sessions earlier this week. It wasn't long before they whipped the La Belle crowd into a frenzy - even kicking off a circle pit! Not the first time seeing Rascalton, i've been lucky enough to catch them a couple of times before, but they are relentless - barely time for an intake of breath between tracks.
Known for their heavy touring, it looks to be paying off with an accomplished performance, despite a loss of guitar strings - frontman Jack Wyles barely battered an eye. Showcasing new tracks, it was latest single Police which, for me, stole the set. A quick-fire 2mins of punk/rock perfection from the boys. They've moved to the top of my "Must See" list for Stag and Dagger in May.
La belle's night ends with LUCIA, another band from Glasgow's thriving garage punk scene. Hot from SXSW performances and ahead of a busy summer schedule including Electric Fields, we are treated to a blistering set. They arrive on stage with a swagger and confidence of a band fully comfortable in who they are and where they want to go, a characteristic not always associated with young bands. In Lucia Fontaine, they have a captivating frontwoman with a hypnotising presence, diverse vocals, and a sprinkling of Debbie Harry - making it difficult to drag your eyes of the stage. Following the release of last years Best Boy EP, it’s clear from the latest track they are continuing to expand and develop their sound, especially with new single Melted Ice Cream. A hybrid of the lo-fi garage rock and dream pop, a combination which served Best Coast so well, you can see the influences shining through. I feel an almost Pixies vibe underpinning the whole track. It’s a great single. Here’s hoping for further releases and tours in 2018, bring on Electric Fields.
A Final word to the Wide Days organisers, it's great to see such events hosted in Edinburgh. They seem to carefully curate a lineup showcasing Scotland's best emerging talent year on year. Here's to many more.
For further info see: Wide Days
