(credit- Andrew Mccormack)
IF you were a young band in Glasgow, a city blessed with an abundance of gig venues of all shapes and sizes, where would you stage the launch party for your debut EP on a cold Friday night in October? If you’re the Ninth Wave then it’s under a deserted railway arch on the outskirts of the city – a place that gives off the kind of dark spooky atmosphere that feels very appropriate a few days prior to Halloween.
It’s fair to say that the Ninth Wave aren’t quite like any other band though. From their stylish gothic aesthetics to their vibrant, post-punk tinged tunes, the band haven’t put a foot wrong since they emerged earlier this year with an entirely renewed sense of focus and direction – an exciting shift that was solidified with the release of their debut EP Reformation last month. It therefore doesn’t come as too much of a surprise to see that everything about tonight’s gig has been planned carefully and meticulously – from the thoroughly impressive supporting line-up to the unorthodox yet hugely innovative choice of venue that was only revealed days prior to the show, and also to the atmospheric lighting that brings a certain degree of gothic drama to proceedings.
Opening the gig are Hotel Lux and Walt Disco; the former bringing their acerbic brand of punk all the way from London, full of eerie synths and scathing rhetoric. Meanwhile, Glasgow band Walt Disco are perhaps the surprise package of the evening. With one foot in the eighties and the other in shimmering modern indie-pop, James Potter demonstrates his natural flair as frontman with his deep Morrissey-like croon standing out over a glitzy high-energy backdrop. Definitely a band to watch out for in 2018.
Tenement Trail alumni ST.MARTiiNS follow up with another impressive performance before the main attraction; Katie Lynch’s dreamy vocals shine over sumptuous melodies, vibrant guitar lines, off-kilter beats and lacings of electronica – oscillating between sultry and luminously upbeat but all the while sounding at home in the cavernous venue.
By the time the headline act take to the stage, the swelling crowd has grown in size – bolstered by a notable number of new faces keen to see what all the fuss is about. The EP we are here to celebrate is a definitive statement of intent from a band who are fast becoming one of the nation’s most intriguing talents. Brimming with brooding melodies, gothic synths and sky-high ambition, it’s the sound of a band who have found their lane and blossoming in it and they take to the stage as such; with all the confidence of an outfit on the cusp of something special.
Appropriately they open with ‘Reformation’, the very song that heralded the beginning of this new era. A track which espouses an empowering message alongside a deeply cathartic chorus, it is brought to life in thunderous fashion thanks to Lewis Tollan’s formidable control of the drum kit from the back of the makeshift stage.
Having spent a significant amount of time honing their craft and with more live shows under their belt, the four-piece sound even tighter than we remember. Bringing shades of light and dark, meteoric synths glisten and ring around the venue alongside spiralling guitars and intense rhythms while Haydn Park-Patterson and Elina Lin’s dual vocals flow seamlessly. Choosing to ignore calls for songs from years gone by, the band instead air some previously unheard material – one of which, titled ‘Swallow Me’ sees the lipstick-adorned, bare-chested frontman shed his guitar and take centre stage, every inch the showman. Oozing confidence and vitality, the new songs on display reinforce their ability to envelop the listener and entice us into their dark, brooding world while simultaneously demanding our attention; a deft balance they appear to pull off effortlessly.
Naturally, the new EP forms the crux of the band’s set with the recent Elina Lin-led ‘Liars’ and ‘Heartfelt’ providing real highlights – the latter of which sees the crowd lose all inhibitions and jump along to its searing melodies and stomping rhythms.
Tonight confirms all our suspicions about The Ninth Wave; that they are a band bursting with songwriting prowess, endless ambition and a fierce determination to cut their own path. And with a headline performance at King Tut’s New Year’s Revolution and a showcase at next year’s Great Escape already confirmed for 2018, the only way is up for his fiercely talented outfit. It surely won’t be long before their appeal spreads far beyond the reaches of their hometown.
