In Glasgow this evening Tonight Alive returned to the venue where it all kicked off for them in regards to Scotland: The QMU. I was there that night back in January 2012 as this small band from Australia supported Never Shout Never and I only attended on a whim after being so impressed by their cover of Mumford & Sons’s “Little Lion Man” on Punk Goes Pop 4. I was not left disappointed.
Unfortunately I was still waiting in the queue outside to get in when The Gospel Youth hit the stage but I did manage to catch their last three songs. As I entered the room I was immediately in awe at just how good lead vocalist Sam Little’s voice is. It was the first time I had heard them but the three performances I saw were enough to make me want to listen to them more when I got home.
Next up were ROAM who completely blew me away. If New Found Glory are considered the kings of pop-punk then ROAM are the heir to that throne. When the time comes for NFG to call it a day then these guys are the band to make that step up. Every song on the set was a joy to listen to and the performance was full of energy. I will definitely be checking them out at Slam Dunk festival in May.
Tonight Alive exploded onto the stage next by opening with “Book of Love” before having the crowd in the palm of their hands by blasting “Lonely Girl”, “The Ocean” and taking us back 6 years with “Listening”. Fan-favourite “What Are You So Scared Of?” was greeted with undying adoration from the fans and already you could tell Tonight Alive were a lot happier than they were last time they headlined in Scotland. Some fans feel they took a wrong direction with Limitless but new album Underworld is a lot more like the Tonight Alive that they know and love. Lead vocalist Jenna McDougall was at her absolute best and who can deny being in love with her amazing Australian accent? There is a real connection felt in the room tonight between fans and the band with Jenna passing comment on how deeply that connection was felt by her.
“For You” pulled at the heartstrings of anyone who was in love as did my personal favourite “The Other Side” for anyone who has loved and lost. The lyrics to “The Other Side” always have an emotional attachment with such words as “Every time I ran I ran to you; I meant it every time I said I loved you.” I managed to keep my composure for once!
The night finished off with two recent singles “Disappear” and “Temple”. The performance of “Temple” proved Tonight Alive were back to their best and I think they knew it as they smiled wide at the end in confidence they had sent this Scottish crowd out into the night full of joy and positivity.
Photos by Lara Fullerton Photography
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