Topman CTRL : Glasgow gig review...with pictures!

Another month and another fantastic Topman CTRL goes by before we know it. September was the turn of French native electro-rockers Phoenix to curate their dream gig just for fans of Topman CTRL - and they definitely stepped up to the plate. Check out the review from the gig below, and if that wasn't enough we've even stuck some pictures down there for you too. Did we mention there's a video of the gig coming soon? Quench your CTRL thirst with the below and sit patiently for said video - good things come to those who wait!

Stepping out of the gloom under Glasgow Central station and into the Arches you start to get a feel for why it’s a classic venue straight away. There’s nothing like a bit of industrial chic and acres of exposed brick to add an element of cool to proceedings but it’s more than that; the place just has atmosphere. You could call it the X-Factor but somehow that doesn’t seem appropriate.

First on stage were locals Paper Planes, showing that Phoenix have got their finger on the pulse these guys are only just releasing their debut material but have a well developed sound and a polished live show that belies approximately one year’s hard gigging on the Glasgow scene. That hard work is starting to pay dividends, they recently opened for Gang Of Four - a once in a lifetime opportunity that not many bands are likely to achieve now the grandfathers of angular post punk grooves play so rarely.

Paper Planes’ sound is hard to pinpoint but all the better for it, a beguiling mix of jagged surf guitar riffing and grungy post-punk attitude driven forward by front woman Jennifer Paley - an adopted Glaswegian via New Jersey that sounds not a million miles from Karen-O. 

Wild Beasts appeared with an air of confidence born out musically from the first chord. Since the early days their show is noticeably slicker, tighter and more powerful with big hitters from the new LP like ‘Hooting & Howling’ and the single ‘All The King’s Men’ opening up and coming alive on stage. What’s best is that you were left with the feeling that the best might just be yet to come from these romantically inclined Cumbrians. Top marks to both bands, and a definite ‘dix points’ to Phoenix for their trans-euro-vision.

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Comments

[FASH]

super cool!