Unicorn Kid / Soft Toy Emergency / Crayons / Skitten
Glasgow King Tuts (Tuesday 9th June)
I arrive at King Tuts just before openers Skitten take the stage, and I immediately begin to feel ancient and uncool. My lack of a coloured hoodie and a glow stick being a dead giveaway.
The average age of the audience tonight is about 15 and Broxburn’s Skitten, aren’t far off this. Their synthy pop goodness is a little sloppy at times, but the crowd laps it up none the less.
Next up are the impressive Crayons who play feisty, Foalsy, awkward pop. The four piece from Dunfermline have bags of charm and with songs like ‘Follow The Yellow Brick Road’ and ‘Planet Waves’ could well playing their own headlining shows back here in the near future.
Soft Toy Emergency set the vibe perfectly for headliner Unicorn Kid, with their super tight party pop mashed up with 80’s electro beeps and blips. “I wish I could be something unpredictable…” screams vocalist Jen, who pretty much has the audience in her back pocket by the time they play new single ‘Critical.’ This band are so current and supercool that It would be easy to dismiss Soft Toy as a fad band, but their shear musicianship alone is enough to prove anyone otherwise.
Armed with his now customary Lion head and MacBook pro, Edinburgh’s Oli Sabin, AKA Unicorn Kid walks onstage to the delight of his army of followers and instantly King Tuts becomes more akin to a DJ set the Arches. This 17 year old, having just finished his exams, has recently worked with the Pet Shop Boys. Yes, The Pet Shop Boys!
Its difficult to pick a stand out track when the songs are cleverly rolled into one long set, but the pixelated bliss of ‘Holding Hands’ and B side ‘Goodbye’ kinda make you feel like you’ve unlocked a secret level on your Gameboy. When the subby bass breakdown on the Lion Head single erupts into the chorus, its clear that Unicorn Kid knows exactly how to use big dynamics. The only disappointment tonight being the clear lack of actual live playing going on.
Ewan McDonald
