The Gaslight Anthem are a band idolised by a lot of different camps in the rock genre. A not-as-rowdy Menzingers, a The National for before you actually become a divorced dad. This is a band who are considered to be the OG of their style by the punks, indie kids, emos, and post hardcore mob. I literally don’t know anyone who has a bad word to say about Brian Fallon et al.
Tonight is the first of two Scottish dates for them with another being added thanks to the phenomenal demand. Tomorrow they play Edinburgh with Fatherson in support, but tonight we get to enjoy them with one Emily Wolfe.
Emily Wolfe is here to play gritty alt rock tracks with the tiniest bit of pop sensibilities behind them. The guitar lines are super impressive with riffs and tones that wouldn’t have you wrong in saying they’re comparable to Muse without the self congratulatory masturbation as she’s playing. She doesn’t have the need to showboat or enter into any pissing contests as she plays these songs with the ease of any three chord campfire song.
There’s a good degree of old school rock in here too while the more subdued numbers manage to keep the crowd warm as they’ve still got a lot of body in the. Emily’s voice is easily in the same league as PJ Harvey – it can soar and hit the impressive notes but has real soul under it and you can’t help but get taken in by the warmth. I’m a man who loves my rock n roll but I’m finding the slower songs are reaching me more. They’re fuller and more than capable of carrying you off. I’d love to see a headline show in a full Barras with this girl.
It’s a quick handover as the only work that really needs doing prior to the headliner’s arrival is the clearing of the support act’s gear. There’s no extra bells and whistles on the stage, just great looking amps (with a few wrestling figures over them) and a backdrop. The lack of gimmicks do nothing to dampen the reaction when they walk on stage, frontman Brian Fallon in particular, grinning ear to ear.
It’s a slow start with ‘I Live In The Room Above Her’, but it’s just allowing us to dip our toe in the water before we jump right in with ‘1000 years’ and ‘1930’. From that point on, the Academy is just acting to intensify the energy that the band are filling the space with. The singing along is like a constant roar, rather than a gentle choir. Around the edges of the crowd (which is pretty much at the furthest bar by the front door) there’s dancing, and also the obligatory stoic standing while head nodding with approval.
There’s three guitars working on stage and you can feel the impact, especially the lead riffs coming from the Flying V to the left. The instruments saturate the air with reverb and delay, but keep the sharp edge that you’d expect from seasoned alt rockers. The best element, however, is Brian Fallon’s voice. Powerful and emotional, but has the rasp of a man who’s spent the last 50 years smoking in a bar while telling his woes to the bartender. I can’t understate how unique and important to the music that this ingredient is.
Emily Wolfe comes back out for ‘The Weatherman’ and ‘Blue Jeans and White T Shirts’, which I’ll always be a fan of. Having little collabs at shows are that extra special thing that you know won’t be repeated. The absolutely packed setlist sees my personal favourite ‘45’ near the end but finishes on ‘We’re Getting A Divorce, You Keep The Diner’.
It’s been one of those shows that leaves you sad at the end of it. Not only because the songs bring out genuine emotions and all those things that guys don’t talk about enough, but because it’s over. It’s been one intense, cathartic release for everyone involved and that’s something everyone needs once in a while.
