THERE are few things in this world more exhilarating, all-consuming or inspiring than hearing a truly great rock ‘n’ roll band tearing through a set in all of their pomp. Add in sweaty, crowded venues, cold pints of beer and that sense of a like-minded community which emerges at Tenement Trail and you’ve got a recipe for the kind of magic which is hard to quantify into words. With our inner-city festival catering to everything from the innovative and outlandish to stripped back sets, we’ve shone a light on some of the finest guitar-based bands that you should be checking out this Saturday.
Tijuana Bibles
Colossal is the best word that can be found to describe the bluesy fury that is the sound of Glasgow’s Tijuana Bibles. A four piece that has meticulously put together an instantly recognisable sound which takes heed of the finest elements from desert rock to the heavier side of the alternative spectrum, witnessing the band’s live show is a transfixing experience and one which fans across Europe were treated during their extensive tour earlier this year. With an extensive range of great tracks in their arsenal, get yourself down to the ABC1 and be floored by this band’s hypnotic sonic brew.
The Bar Dogs
If there were ever a band that acutely personifies the fun-loving and at times chaotic spirit of Glasgow’s thriving nightlife, they undoubtedly go by the name of The Bar Dogs. Indebted to the sounds of Exile On Main Street, Springsteen’s Greetings From Asbury Park days and the haywire stylings of Iggy Pop’s Kill City, the sound which emits from their amplifiers and from the rugged vocals of frontman John Gerrard O’Neill is that of unbridled joy expressed through boisterous guitar music. Happy to revel in the hedonism but never shy in delving into more contemplative and heartstrings tugging terrain when the mood strikes, the band colloquially known as ‘the dugs’ will have Sleazy’s in an uproar on Saturday night.
Domiciles
Capable of coaxing the listener into a state of trancelike euphoria akin to that of the finest psychedelic minds of the 60’s, Domiciles’ rapid rise to the forefront of Scotland’s music scene has been a wonderful thing to behold. Having regularly left those that stumbled upon them in awe at their music’s transcendant and unearthly qualities, the band brought their blend of shoegaze beauty and Syd Barrett-like tendencies to this year’s T Break line-up and have continued to accrue new fans at every step along the way. For those searching for somewhere to allow themselves to be immersed in a band’s material, the band’s set on Broadcast’s Dead Beet stage is a safe bet to say the least.
Milburn
Our Tenement Trail headliners and the band that will stride out in front of a riled up crowd as we make our maiden voyage into the grand venue of the ABC 1, Sheffield’s Milburn are a band reborn and with a renewed sense of purpose.
Having first taken the music world by storm in 2006 amid the indie rock explosion that engulfed the year’s landscape, Milburn’s formative years saw them release two hook-packed albums of alternative anthems that captured the chaotic spirit of their youth in Sheffield.
Drawing the first era of their career to a close in 2008, Tenement Trail will see the band return to the site of one of their final gigs as they reclaim the ABC with their boisterous and rugged material.
Far from revelling in past glories, the four piece recently revealed ‘Midnight Control’; a brand new single which alludes to a more mature and refined sound yet retains the impeccable songwriting chops which marked them out as such a thoroughly impressive force.
Sure to seize the ears and hearts all over again and with a hugely loyal fanbase proving how elated they are to have them back with sold out shows throughout the land, We’re delighted to play our part in welcoming audiences to the next evolution of Milburn.
Alligator
A band that have remained somewhat of a mystery since their formation, we can assure those that crave nothing more than unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll to head down and catch Alligator. Seldom playing Scotland since their formation, the band proved to be a big hit upon making their way over to Holland for a series of well received shows including a performance at Wildernis Festival. A chance to catch this elusive band before the spotlight is firmly shone on them, they’ll be playing Nice N Sleazy at 7:30pm.
Gangs
Bursting forth from the city’s underbelly earlier this year with a self-assured swagger and the tunes to match, GANGS are the sort of band that make it all look effortless. Nominated for best rock/alternative at this year’s Scottish Alternative Music Awards despite being in their infancy as a band, this year’s singles ‘Knock The Door’ and ‘Thieves’ landed with authority upon the nation’s scene and they haven’t relented since. Bringing proceedings to a close at the very suitable sorroundings of The Priory Bar, expect sleazy riffs, thundering rhythm and enigmatic choruses.
Medicine Men
Proponents of a hazy yet passion filled brand of psych-infused rock, there’s a reason why Medicine Men have spent the past few years performing at some of the UK’s most revered music festivals. Filled with vibrant, kaleidoscopic keys,e endless rhythms and an intangible groove to their material that harks back to a bygone era in which bands such as The 13th Floor Elevators, America and The Grateful Dead enticed trepadatious audiences away from the confines of their sheltered minds, the band have devised a blueprint for their own brand of guitar-led output which never fails to deliver. Striding onto the stage at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut at 10:15pm, expect the crowd to be absolutely enthralled by the time they break into ‘Show What You’re Made Of.’
Velvetbomb
A Glasgow based two piece that are unrepentant in their pursuit of decimating eardrums with their riff-heavy rock ‘n’ roll, Velvetbomb’s output reverberates around venues with malicious intent and infectious energy. Recalling the hard edged sounds of 70’s rock ‘n’ roll and early metal with a distinctly modern ferocity, the band play Flat 0/1 this Saturday.
BLESS.
No-nonsense, ambitiously-minded rock ‘n’ roll that makes no apologies and asks for no quarter, BLESS are a staple of London’s venues and armed with a myriad of songs that seem streamlined to fall in love with.
Releasing their Music Comes First EP at the tail end of last year, its title is apt for a band that truly relish the rollercoaster ride that is playing in a band with your nearest and dearest. rRacking up gigs in France and performing at this year’s Glastonbury Festival with influences such as that of The Jam, The Clash and The Kinks adorned on their sleeves with pride, this is a band that’s sure to have hands in the air and drinks lobbed into the sky when they take to the stage at TT16.
