Up first, and keeping things simple was singer-songwriter CC Bloom, armed with an impressive set of lungs and a trusty electric guitar. Her set was filled with love, heartbreak, political cries and a beautiful cover of the Noel G track Dead in the Water from his latest album. Particular highlights were Yesterday and Romance - both gorgeous tracks which can be found on Soundcloud!
Continuing with strong female vocalists was E M I L I E, this time backed by a band, no guitar, but the funkiest bass i’ve heard all year. The talent on display was apparent as soon as first track Never Enough kicked off, with all kinds of flicks and tricks producing a gorgeous beat with lulling, hypnotic vocals. From here on out the crowd was hooked, lapping up both older tracks like Eyes For You and newer stuff which should be out early next year. There’s little doubt that 2019 will be a breakthrough year for the ultra-talented E M I L I E.
The main event and much-acclaimed, VanIves entered the stage to an eager Mash House keen to see what as in-store. After selling out Sneaky Pete’s in the Summer, expectation was high and blimey, they didn’t disappoint.
Backed by a projection of light and imagery, the childhood friends from Castle Douglas were clearly in their element, in a place where they thrive. Guitarist and vocalist Stuart Ramage’s beaming, infectious smile was a constant throughout, but not only was his general presence captivating, his vocals were unreal. It was one of the finest vocal performances i’ve seen, full of sincerity and genuine heart. Over on keys and decks was Roan Ballantine, draped in a tartan scarf, who was clearly feeding from the abundance of on-stage energy.
As the set progressed, I got a real sense that the duo were overwhelmed by the general feeling of goodwill and affection flowing through the packed crowd. Debut single Positive and latest track Corder received the biggest cheers of the night, but it was the final track of the evening which caught us by surprise. Completely unplugged, with Stuart’s acoustic guitar and Roan on piano, they delivered a moving performance, which left the already impressed crowd in awe.
With more singles promised before the year is out, and their biggest Glasgow show to follow in January, we predict 2019 is going to be massive for VanIves.