Twin Atlantic at Barrowlands, Glasgow, review: The kind of homecoming most bands only dream about

Barrowlands in Glasgow – which on the outside resembles a 1950s bowling alley – has a sprung floor that encourages audiences to jump as much as they can (a legacy from its ballroom dancing days) and a tuck shop selling chocolate and cans of Irn Bru.

Twin Atlantic were offered a night at the SSE Hydro, a 13,000-capacity arena, but opted for these three sold-out nights at one of the most beloved music venues in Britain. It makes for a fitting homecoming after a triumphant tour of their latest album GLA. And they don’t waste any time getting into the swing of things.

‘Gold Elephant: Cherry Alligator’ blasts out to bursts of red and white light, full of swagger, then segues into a rendition of ‘You Are The Devil’ with its squealing guitar riffs.

Over the past few years frontman Sam McTrusty has transformed himself from an earnest pop rock singer into a credible rock star, and that doesn’t just mean a new haircut – it’s an attitude change as well. He prowls up and down the stage, whipping the audience up into a bigger frenzy, as if that were possible: “Come on, Glasgow,” he screams.

The band have taken care not to feature too many songs from GLA, which is still relatively new to their set, but it’s an album that was clearly meant to be played live. ‘Valhalla’ practically struts around the room, all leather and Scottish muscle - it’s playfully sexy - and ‘Whispers’ has a driving rhythm in the drums and a determined bass line that lingers on the mind even after other songs have been played.

open image in gallery

GLA, the band’s fourth album, feels very much like a breakthrough. While songs from Free and Great Divide still receive a very enthusiastic welcome – perhaps more than those from GLA due to their familiarity – there’s a noticeable difference in the quality from each.

Each song structure is considered, and the way McTrusty’s voice is placed in each one showcases his versatility; no more so than on 'Ex El', the band’s self-described “eureka moment”. But there are still gems to be played from past records: ‘Heart and Soul’ off Great Divide is as rousing as Joan Jett’s ‘I Love Rock ’n’ Roll’ while 2012’s title track ‘Free’ elicits one of the most powerful responses of the night.

Meanwhile ‘Mothertongue’, one of McTrusty’s most personal songs, may as well be Scotland’s own national anthem the way it resonates with the audience. It’s a deeply affecting song that speaks of a struggle to accept your identity, and be proud of it, along with the wider emotional pull of these local-boys-made-good, in an atmosphere where everyone senses that they might not be seeing the band at such close quarters after December.

Climbing out over the crowd’s shoulders McTrusty bellows the lyrics to closer ‘No Sleep’ and allows himself to fall backwards into the crowd as the lights go out and the hall is plunged into darkness. It’s hard to imagine how they’ll top that for another two nights. This is the best kind of homecoming they could have hoped for, and one that most bands can only dream of.