Glasvegas took to the Ayrshire seaside to play a sold out Troon Town Hall
16 years on from the release of their self-titled debut album in 2008, the Scottish indie-rock band Glasvegas continue to fill out rooms across the country, playing to fans who have loved them all this time.
One such night was October 11th at the Troon Town Hall, nestled in the sunny but very chilly Ayrshire seaside town of Troon. Kicking off the opening night of Glasvegas’ UK tour, the town's very own concert hall had a beautiful sunset backdrop over the Firth of Clyde, the picturesque view acting as a reward for braving the cold as fans waited to get into the venue.
Kicking off the night were the Coatbridge four-piece, Tijuana Bibles. Quite like the night’s headliners, The Bibles have been around the Scottish scene for over a decade, causing a scene and dropping bangers as they go with their grunge, punk sound. Despite the having a smaller crowd to work with, they delivered the type of explosive set that they’ve been doing their entire career, throwing out bangers spanning their 10 year catalogue.
Singer Tony Costello covered every area of the stage possible, showing the Troon crowd exactly what the band were all about. Producing such a polished set showed why they’ve reached the heights they have over the years, setting the bar high for the night’s headliners.
The room quickly filled to capacity just in time for the arrival of Glasvegas, entering the stage one by one to deafening cheers before kicking off the night with Lots Sometimes, taken from the 2011 record, Euphoric /// Heartbreak \\\. Sounding as tight as they always do, the set began with a solid mix of the old and newer material, whilst fans sing their hearts out alongside every word.
The atmosphere lifted when the emotional track Flowers & Football Tops made an appearance, a song that takes fans on an emotional roller coaster and is one of the big hitters from their self-titled debut album. Clearly a fan favourite, the chorus sung in unison by the crowd brought out the widest smiles from Glasvegas.
After over a decade in the music scene, it was incredible to see how relevant this band still are and how important their music is to their fan base, a crowd filled with all ages who had travelled from near and far to a small seaside town just to see their heroes on stage.
Songs like Lonesome Sean and Go Square Go certainly picked up the crowd, the latter including that famous Scottish chant that’s known probably the world over: “Here we….go,” echoed around the town hall as the crowd bounced around, proving that whether it’s in a small club or a big room, that chant has the ability to enliven any crowd.
What stood out most from Glasvegas’ performance was their sincere gratitude after every song. Frontman James Allan continually reminded the crowd of what shows like this one meant to everyone involved with the band, speaking volumes of what it means for fans to support them all these years.
Mid set saw a mixture of their more recent work, playing songs from their 2021 album, Godspeed. The unmistakable sound of the intro to Geraldine spurred the crowd into a frenzy and, as a song that’s held its number one place on Spotify since its release in 2008, it needed no introduction. The unmistakeable chorus has been a staple in the Scottish music scene since its release, and the crowd singing along loudly and proudly was enough to give anyone there goosebumps.
The band closed off in style with another iconic yet emotional song, Daddy’s Gone, a track that was written about coming from a broken home. Tugging at the heart strings of the crowd, Daddy’s Gone was a perfect way to close off such a stellar show by the boys, with a room full of fans singing along to such emotional lyrics, echoing what the band is all about: bringing people together with their music.
Glasvegas’ debut album hit the hearts of many upon its 2008 release and remains as important and relevant now as it was back then, shaping the band into who they are today. Influencing other bands to take that leap to put themselves out there, many who looked up to them back in the day now follow in their footsteps of realising music and playing to crowds like that of Troon Town Hall. After over a decade in the music scene, the band show no signs of slowing down.
To still sell out venues in Scotland and beyond tells a story in itself, showing exactly why they remain one of the most iconic names in Scottish music history.
To enjoy the rest of Glasvegas’ music, you can follow them on Instagram and head to Spotify below: