The Swellers
2^nd May 2010
King Tut's, Glasgow

With only minutes left before they're due to take to the King Tut's stage The Swellers are busy assembling their merch display. Having played in Manchester the previous night at the same venue as Swedish power metal band HammerFall, the Michigan quartet had arrived in Glasgow to discover they were without merch. Luck was hand, however, as HammerFall were also scheduled to play in Glasgow this evening and after a quick trip down the road to The Cathouse, The Swellers managed to reclaim their misplaced merch just in time.

Merch mix-ups aside, tonight's show went off without a hitch. This was The Swellers' first time playing in the UK and the intensity and passion of the crowd gathered beneath the low King Tut's ceiling tonight suggested it had been a long time coming. Ripping through a lengthy set, The Swellers leapt about the compact stage like men possessed, leaning into the bodies jammed to the barrier. Fresh off the back of the UK release of major label debut 'Ups & Downsizing', tonight's set was packed with stellar renditions of album favourites such as 'Do You Feel Better' and 'Welcome Back Riders'. 

There was little stage banter tonight as the band tried to pack in as many songs as possible. With curfew fast approaching, the spotlight was turned on the crowd as requests made up the final few songs. There was a real communal feel tonight, with The Swellers showing just why they are one of the most exciting bands to recently emerge from across the pond. 

--Lucy.