Gurriers, 14th October, SWG3, Glasgow (gig review)

Nobody’s Coming To Save You. It’s the title of Gurriers’ second album, and what it means to you likely depends on your outlook on life. For some, it’s a threat: you’re on your own. For others, it’s a rallying call: you’re on your own, so go and save yourself.

The SWG3 show had countless moments where it kicked off, with crowd surfing, mosh pits and pogoing throughout. And yet, it was the moments of quieter reflection, when you took a breath and braced yourself to go again, that ensured the highs kept coming.

Opening act Tramhaus, from Rotterdam, performed admirably, with the song about Jesus the turning point. By the end, we were bouncing along with a band intent on having fun.

Gurriers – Photo credit: Chris Reilly

But it’s the headliners people came to see. The new album’s title track, and opening number, revved into life, the choppy bass and drum lines snapping behind Dan Hoff’s deadpan delivery, the anticipation for the first guitar burst building throughout.

This is a band that knows the importance of a good entrance. The first two songs were the opening tracks from the second album; third and fourth, the opening tracks from the debut. Live shows aren’t the same as albums, but they should share elements, and Gurriers know how to kick things off.

From there, it rarely let up. Bassist Charlie McCarthy had told SNACK he wanted Glasgow to lose it for ‘Drones’, but in truth, the whole set was kicking off. The band’s Instagram said it best the following day: ‘Glasgow, yous sent it last night.’

Even the moments that weren’t as heavy felt like there was something lurking. ‘Pins’ carries a lighter guitar line, the circular riff almost capturing sunny vibes, but the rest is mired in darker tones about the uncertainty of love, and the human condition.

Gurriers – Photo credit: Chris Reilly

On stage, it was often chaos, everyone doing their own thing, Pierce O’Callaghan at the back out of view for many fans at the side, but always in earshot. There were a few moments, maybe rehearsed like a set-piece, maybe natural, when the two guitarists (Ben O’Neill and Mark MacCormack), bassist and Hoff locked in, moving back and forth as one, pushing forward like a pincer movement.

Early in the set, Hoff looked behind him and shared a smile with a couple of his bandmates. Gurriers usually carry themselves seriously, so it was a small crack in that front, and it made them seem more real. And why shouldn’t they be enjoying themselves? The first night of the tour isn’t the time to get cocky, but as affirmation of what the band has achieved to get here, it’s a time to allow yourself a pat on the back.

Older songs like ‘Sign of the Times’, ‘Top of the Bill’ and ‘Approachable’ still earn their keep. The latter features the call and response element that draws the crowd in, the vocalist playing a character rather than himself. But it’s the music and madness around it that really matters. 

New material like ‘Nothing Happens Twice’ and ‘Waiting for Fisher’ detonate live as you’d hoped when listening to the album at home. The latter scurries into life, guitar lines sniping over the top of the low-end, lyrics punching you in the face at equal intervals. The ennui and relentless pointlessness of the “modern-day job”, flayed by the band.

‘I Wish I Was’ and ‘Crybaby’ ended the set on a calmer note, a way to settle the crowd before they bowled back into the wet night. The run before this was incendiary; an abrupt stop would have been too harsh.

Gurriers – Photo credit: Chris Reilly

So, even relentless bands make concessions when it’s sensible to do so. And that’s Gurriers: for every moment where the room fizzed with excitement, sound and people volleying through the air, there were repeated calls for calm, to stay hydrated and to look out for each other.

In a week when Fontaines DC dropped their latest album, and U2 formally announced theirs, with live shows to come, you’d be forgiven for thinking there was little room left for other Irish bands. Which is a nonsense. Gurriers give you the impression they’ll be around for much longer, in bigger venues than this.