TRNSMT Competition
Glasgow Inexperienced, Glasgow
eighth July 2023

A offered out Saturday at TRNSMT brings searing warmth, torrential rain, musical range and a few nice most important stage performances. (See Friday right here)

Driving into Glasgow metropolis centre on the M8 it’s sizzling; T shirt and shorts climate sizzling. Incongruously, yellow climate warnings of heavy rain are flashing on the gantries above. For as soon as they’re justified.

First act on the principle stage are Edinburgh’s Swim Faculty. Crowds could also be nonetheless filtering in however the band’s followers have made the trouble to get in early. Comparisons to Wolf Alice are in all probability inevitable and deserved; feminine vocalist, grungy really feel, mild and shade of their music. They’re a brand new expertise for me however I’m impressed.

Fellow Scot Brooke Coombe follows. Wow, what a fantastic voice. We’re speaking soul right here however not the sickly candy schmaltzy selection. This can be a arduous edged sound. She’s a girl with an emotive gritty voice backed by a band with rock sensibilities. She’s received some immediately memorable songs too. Let’s simply hope that her uncooked expertise isn’t diluted by over produced recorded output.

Maisie Peters is clearly at house on a giant stage. She’s come a great distance since I final noticed her as a shy younger performer in 2019. Her set’s stuffed with bouncy pop hooks however she additionally finds area for songs with deeply private lyrics, usually associated to boys and relationships. There are tracks constructed round basic rock guitar riffs too and she or he’s received actual stage presence, continually the centre of consideration. A star within the making.

In a day in any other case dominated by feminine performers, Inhaler draw the primary big crowd of the day. There appear to be extra folks current than for Friday night time’s headliners, and the Dubliners don’t disappoint. Enjoying a set culled principally from their present album Cuts And Bruises, it’s a triumphant return after a surprisingly subdued efficiency right here in 2021. They’re one other act that appear destined for greater billing in future years.

Mimi Webb brings us extra pop. With a formidable voice and interesting stage presence, she’s backed by a slick band with pop/rock really feel. She’s received a radio pleasant sound that mixes a contemporary pop ethos with the type of songs that might simply have been sung by Tina Turner or mid 1970’s Fleetwood Mac. Ominously although, for all her uplifting sounds, darkish clouds are gathering above Glasgow Inexperienced.

Apparently it all the time rains in Manchester so we will blame Aitch for bringing the primary heavy downpour of the day. He and the group are to not be deterred although. He’s the one hip hop act to grace the principle stage this weekend and he’s not misplaced. Backed by drums, keyboards, bass, and a duelling rapper, this can be a massive stage manufacturing. There are smoke jets aplenty and nearly instantly he’s received 1000’s of fingers punching the air in unison. It’s good to see a rapper and band with expertise following some hip hop misfires at earlier TRNSMT’S.

Generally timings are useful at multi stage festivals. Sadly in the present day they aren’t however I finally make it to King Tuts for The Wombats. They’re their ordinary energetic selves with Tord charging in regards to the stage with bass in hand. The newest downpour is taking it’s toll although. First music in and Tord takes a fall on the slippery stage. Undaunted, he’s quickly on his ft smiling however a couple of songs later their large wombat suffers the identical destiny simply moments after arriving. As a efficiency, in the present day’s set is as entertaining as ever however progressively my curiosity begins to wane. Maybe I’ve simply seen them too many occasions.

I final noticed Kasabian headlining Studying Competition in 2017. They have been dreadful; a band seemingly simply going by means of the motions. Tonight’s my first expertise with Serg as frontman. It’s a efficiency with a distinct really feel however they’re on fireplace; enjoying like a band with a degree to show forward of headliner Sam Fender. They’re clearly rejuvenated and Serg is revelling as frontman. They deal with us to a set of actual familiarity, full of classics, however surprisingly embrace nothing from their latest post-Tom Meighan album. Nonetheless, it’s nice to see a band so re-energised.

Headliner Sam Fender isn’t any stranger to TRNSMT, he’s performed each version since 2018. Tonight will probably be his fifth look as he’s progressively ascended the lineup, the antithesis of some instantaneous tik tok marvel. He opens with We Will Discuss. There’s actual vitality right here even after they mess up the intro. Getting Began maintains momentum earlier than issues sluggish and get extra private with Lifeless Boys. The Borders sees the band at their most Springsteenesque earlier than the group inevitably erupt for Spice. Nearly as inevitably, it’s accompanied by a mass refrain of “fuck the Tories”. Halfway by means of, the anticipated deluge lastly arrives however nothing’s going to damped our enthusiasm. We’ve received pyro on the stage, pyro on the stage roof and an viewers on fireplace, more and more desperate to sing. Protecting Frightened Rabbit is a pleasant contact earlier than the tumultuous climax of Seventeen Going Below and the anthemic Hypersonic Missiles.

Strolling on stage earlier, Sam tells us he’s a little bit nervous. That is his first competition headline efficiency. He needn’t have apprehensive, tonight’s present has seen him the place he belongs; on the high of the pile.

TRNSMT competition might be adopted on Fb and their web site

~

Phrases and images by Trev Eales. Extra work by Trev on Louder Than Warfare might be discovered at his writer’s profile. His pictures portfolio is right here