Twin Atlantic
O2 ABC, Glasgow
6th February 2010
"This is not a dream, could it get any better?"
The last time Twin Atlantic played to a sold out crowd at Glasgow's ABC was back in July, as the main support on Taking Back Sunday's headline tour of the UK and Ireland. A quick fast forward through seven whirlwind months, during which the band released flawless mini-album, Vivarium, and toured both the UK and mainland Europe extensively, brings us right up today - Saturday, February 6th 2010. The date of Twin Atlantic's biggest headline show to date.
As the sign above the venues' entrance proudly states, tonight's show is sold out. Whilst fans skip in and out of the ever-growing queue to take pictures of this landmark achievement, the parking space normally occupied by a luxury tour bus is tonight filled with a humble orange van. Two nights ago Twin Atlantic played south of the border in Newcastle, to a room capable of housing around 400 people. It's an encouraging sign that the tide is beginning to change south of the border, with more and more people tuning into the Twin Atlantic sound. Yet it's a tune that Scots have been singing for a while now and that's why tonight, back in their home city, the band will take to stage in front of over 1,200 eager fans. It's a feat that pays tribute to the sheer hard work the foursome have put into building a dedicated grass roots fan base and an indicator of just how much Glasgow loves their hometown heroes.
There was only one way for the night to end and that was with a killer performance of 'Audience & Audio' which had the crowd throwing themselves to the front with the same relentless energy that had fuelled them from start to finish. Throwing his guitar to the side, Sam launched himself into the crowd, soon to be devoured by the sweating mass of bodies pressed to the barrier. With their vocalist safely back on stage (having reclaimed his lost shoe in the process), Twin Atlantic were able to bring their phenomenal evening to an end. With such an outstanding performance it's not hard to imagine that the next time Twin Atlantic play a venue of this size it could easily be in any city around the UK. --Lucy
Already suitably warmed up by Lightguides and Canterbury respectively, tonight's crowd are more than ready for Twin Atlantic to take to the stage. With the obligatory Glaswegian chant of 'Here we, here we...' echoing around the room, the lights dim and an undeniable Scottish rendition of extracts from 'Challenging the Culture of Obedience', a speech made in 2006 by Ross C. Anderson is blasted through the P.A. system. "A patriot is a person who loves his or her country. Who among you loves your country so much that you have come here today to raise your voice out of deep concern for our nation...and for our world?" It's a fitting introduction to a night that is to be filled with sheer passion and energy from both fans and band alike. With the noise from the crowd threatening to break the sound barrier, vocalist Sam McTrusty approached the front of the stage with the biggest smile plastered across his face at the sight of the raucous mob of people before him. Twin Atlantic are definitely home.
Kicking off with 'You're Turning Into John Wayne', the band ripped through a set that was nothing short of perfect. Tearing through every song from 'Vivarium' with the ferocity and raw energy that has come to define the Twin Atlantic live experience, the band also trotted out older songs in the form of 'Crashland' and 'A Guidance From Colour' both of which evoked mass sing-a-longs from the packed room. The atmosphere was nothing short of electric, with the crowd giving it their all from start to finish. Although understandably nervous, the band soon found their feet on stage and within minutes were delivering the performance of a lifetime. A special treat came in the form of new song 'Running From Money' which showcased a definite and exciting progression in the band's sound. This was followed by a trip down memory lane for older fans with a rendition of 'Atlas Factory', a track that's yet to be recorded and hasn't been aired on the live circuit for a while now.
