Twin Atlantic bring it home for a sweaty one at Glasgow’s O2 Academy
The band made it a night to remember on their home turf.
Photo: Isla Kerr
When a Scottish gig begins and ends with “Here we fuckin’ go” you know it’s one for the books.
As Scottish rockers Twin Atlantic were playing a homecoming show in Glasgow’s O2 Academy on Thursday night, it was only right that it was absolutely chucking it down, even if none of that mattered once inside the tropical venue.
Yet, the crowd still needed some serious warming up before the Glaswegian guitar heroes took to the stage, and so fellow Scots Saint Phnx gave it their all to get the audience in a better state. Pulling out just about every trick in their repertoire — on top of being solid on-stage rockers — to win over the audience, including a memorable bit that involved percussionist Alan Jukes kidding he was too nervous to sing. The alt duo got the crowd well and truly sweating and raring to go.
So, as soon as Twin Atlantic appeared on stage to the dense guitar strums of their latest release Get Out, the city’s go-to gig chant, Here We Fuckin’ Go (HWFG), also made its first appearance of the night, and understandably so. Get Out instantly raised the energy levels to the height of the room’s high ceiling, getting people moving, getting hands in the air, and easily serving as the perfect opener for any rock gig.
With a soundscape that leans hard into elements of emo and power pop, it was no surprise that the band – comprised of core members Sam McTrusty (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and Ross McNae (bass) – had put together such a high-octane set. Pushing out tune after tune with Asleep, No Sleep, Make a Beast of Myself and Yes, I Was Drunk, it was an opening combo unlike any I’ve seen recently, and one that was certainly hard to come down from.
But lucky for us, we didn’t have to worry about that so soon, as Sam announced they were going to play a song that hadn’t been performed in Glasgow in almost nine years, and the gut-punching drums and strums of Actions That Echo kicked in. Howling in excitement, the crowd quicky confirmed they still knew all the words to the 2015 track, before somehow becoming even more energetic for debut album classic Hold On.
Looking round the pulsating room, every single person seemed to have their hands in the air chanting the lyrics back at Sam who couldn’t help but smile at the ferocious wave of noise he was conducting with confidence. Clearly as glad to be in his home city as we were, it was one of those odd moments that made you feel proud to be Scottish, to be part of a crowd that wasn’t afraid to give it their all, and to be supporting a local band who can play as faultlessly as they perform.
All night Sam’s Scots-twinged vocals were as powerful as ever, while the band played as expressively as they sound, putting on a show that was definitely worthy of such a momentous crowd.
Props must be given to the lighting tech as, with the band’s minimal white backdrop, the staging was all in the lighting. From the apt sunny yellow hues for songs like Barcelona to the insane blue and yellow strobes of World Class Entertainment, the dramatic visuals really added to the gig’s immersive and euphoric feel.
Although that’s not to say the show lacked range. Twin Atlantic also conjured up some truly sweet and tender moments with their fans. In particular, Crash Land acted as a real standout for that reason. With the room belting every lyric to the fan favourite track, Sam was able to let the crowd carry the weight of the song in a moment that clearly meant a lot to him and so was immediately branded “a different fucking class.” And to be honest, I have to agree because it’s a moment I won’t soon forget, and I was on the other side of the room.
Having had such immense reactions, it’s not really surprising that the announcement of the final song was met with a few boos. But if any song was going to end things right, it had to be Heart and Soul. Milking the Scottish classic to its very last strums, the track brought the gig to a powerful end with a fourth and final rendition of HWFG, proving Twin Atlantic to not only be a force to be reckoned with, but a band you have to catch live.
And, with the way their latest singles have performed in front of a live audience, I’m inclined to think Twin Atlantic are yet to have their day.
All photos by Isla Kerr.