Love the Cathouse, hate the stairs! If only Catty didn’t ask you to climb Ben Lomond to access the venue!
Written By Wolves set the bar high! Honestly, they’re the best opening act I’ve seen in ages. I must confess I didn’t know any of tonight’s acts before seeing them, but I believe that just made the greatness of each act that much more impressive. Their cover of Sia’s “Elastic Heart” was a massive highlight, but it was “She Had Me At Hello” that really flipped the switch, getting the crowd jumping. The band spent a huge amount of time right at the barrier, essentially becoming one with the front row with the head vocalist jumping into the crowd to sing with people in the front. They were genuinely funny between songs too; it’s rare to find a band that can balance that level of performance with such a down-to-earth vibe. They gained a new fan in me and set the bar incredibly high for the rest of the night.
Next up was Dream State, and their lead vocalist is a complete powerhouse. Her vocals are nothing short of incredible, cutting through the heavy instrumentals and electronic elements with raw, emotional passion. Coming back to the Cathouse for the second time after their previous sold-out show there, I was surprised by the lack of people who seemed to know them. That didn’t stop them from showing everyone exactly how good they are. We were treated to what I can only describe as a “vaguely sad moshpit” and a wall of death that followed the same story. It was a shame, but the crowd in Glasgow just weren’t up for the bashing about that night. Big props to the seven people (yes just seven, I counted) who did take part in the moshing; I was living vicariously through you all. Between the great vocals and the high energy, they kept the momentum surging, jumping into the crowd to engage with and thank the moshers. I’d be interested in going to see them headline as I’d assume the crowd they’d attract would be a bit more receptive to the requests of mosh pits, crowd surfing and walls of death. If you missed them, don’t worry, they should be back in Glasgow later this year. Definitely one to go watch!
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
Then came Solence, and the energy in the room shifted from “excited” to “electric.” This tour is a massive milestone for them as this is indeed their first-ever UK/EU headline tour, and based on the turnout, it’s long overdue. The crowd engagement was world-class. When they played “Where Were You…?”, the sing-along was loud enough I’m sure you must have been able to hear it outside. One of the funniest moments was the band “teaching us how to count” during “4 Good Reasons”, continuing their great connection with the crowd with the tongue-in-cheek interaction that had the entire room shouting back the numbers. You can tell they have an incredibly dedicated fanbase here; so many people in that room seemed to know every word of every song.
While even for the headliners the moshpit was small, there were definitely a few more people dipping in and out. It didn’t feel as disappointing as before as it was kept to a far smaller area compared to the clearing of the entire floor we had during the previous set. The set was a relentless mix of heavy hits and melodic hooks. “Blood, Sweat & Tears” in particular stood out to me. Constant headbanging, hands up and jumping from the front to the back. Their cover of the Imagine Dragons track “Warriors” went down a storm, proving they can take a stadium anthem and make it feel right at home in a sweaty rock club. Solence proved they are a legitimate headline force. They didn’t just play at us, they played with us. For a first headline outing, they displayed the confidence of veterans, leaving no doubt that this is the first of many sold-out nights to come. Between the high fives and the heavy riffs, they left Glasgow absolutely buzzing and wanting more.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
Photos byJack Barker Photography
Solence:official|facebook|twitter|instagram|spotify| deezer | tidal | bandcamp |tiktok | youtube
Dream State: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | deezer | tidal | bandcamp | tiktok | youtube
Written By Wolves: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | deezer | tidal | bandcamp | tiktok | youtube
Related