This was an event charged with anticipation and sweat!
It also had a bit of a family atmosphere as many in the audience had a connection of some kind with the band, so there could be no talking out of turn or slagging off any of the bands (do you want a 50 year old woman from Ayrshire asking “whit did you say aboot ma son…” – of course not, and luckily this did not happen, quite…?).
There were two support bands, one ironically (for BM anyway) named Critics, and the other being Donnie Willow. People said good things about both but you know, readers, that BM does not review stuff in absentia, so they will both have to wait for another day.
So BM missed the supports due to ongoing hamster-management issues and then a broken strap on some very strappy designer heels, leading to an almost broken ankle and an almost broken nose for the taxi-driver who made that comment – grow up, not like you haven’t seen it before, what are you, 12?
(in fact , readers, BM was a good girl and no brawling or broken anything tonight, bus into toon and back, just trying there to maintain her rep as a psychopathic diva, one tries one’s best…)
SO!
BM is a long time frequenter of KTWWH and this was an epic night by anyone’s standard. Vukovi (a four piece outfit with an Ayrshire origin story who have been around the Scottish music scene for a year or two now) were launching their debut, self-titled album, out that very day (and reviewed already by BM) and this was a more than sold out night, rammed and then some…
They came on just after 10am, ie just after BM arrived. At first it was hard to get anywhere much beyond the top of the stairs, so impossible to assess the soundmix or actually see was happening onstage. BM just caught glimpses of lead singer Janine leaping about, singing at the top of her voice while guitarist Hamish was fairly tearing away at the riffage.
BM assumed that bass player Jason was out of sight further across the stage while Colin on drums was hidden in a pall of smoke and kit, it certainly sounded like it. The volume was a bit muffled but that’s because there was a wall (aka the one beside the stairs) blocking most of the sound out. Some of the new album tracks could be made out and there was frenzied cheering in between from an extremely up for it crowd.
Crowd surfing was happening at intervals, there was a fairly frantic moshpit breaking out repeatedly and Janine was in amongst the crowd for quite considerable periods, risking being pulled apart at times by the looks of it. BM could see KTWWH’s hardy and experienced security team keeping an eye on things but luckily it never descended into complete chaos.
To the end of the main set (and thanks to some kindly gents who parted the crowd to enable BM and now strapped killer heels up the awkward steps at the back, although copping a feel is not part of the deal you naughty boys) BM managed to sidle into a position behind the mixing desk, where things sounded a lot better. This band has an immense pulsating sound and Tut’s IMHO is now just far too small for this band’s crowd or what they are trying to create here.
The first song in the encore ‘Animal’ probably typifies Vukovi at the best, a stinging verse with a powering chorus, Janine’s voice towering over the massive bass throb, and pounding percussion while the guitar sounds just shred the air. Its overall effect is of pure musical energy – combined with dark lyrics about relationship abuse, BM’s fave combination! So despite many “here we f–go”s and much enthusiasm from the crowd we got just two songs in the encore, and they were off, job done, by around 10.45pm.
Can’t help thinking also, this gig would have made the perfect backdrop to the next Lynx advert – still fresh, “as tested at Tut’s during Vukovi…”