The third Summer Showcase at the Ironworks turned out to be a far more intimate occasion than previous weeks with Nicky Murray, The Ragazzi and Habitat all taking their turn on stage.
Facing the daunting task of being first on stage, playing to only a handful of people who were hiding up the back of the room, was Nicky Murray. With this being his final gig before moving back down to Glasgow he would have wanted it to be special – which it definitely was for those who arrived in time to see him. The acoustic/folk genre continues to be very popular at the moment and that’s where Nicky seems to draw inspiration from. He played a set of easy listening songs with a Mumford and Sons/Paolo Nutini feel, whilst still bringing his own personality forward.
Despite the small number of people in the room he still received a warm reception as he proved his music appeals to all ages. His set included many of his own songs such as “Ballad of the Selfish Man”, “Laces” and “Spirits Of The Breeze” as well as a cover of Donovan’s “Catch The Wind.” Music appears to come easily to him as he flaunted impressive guitar skills – despite a strong snapping on his guitar before his final song he continued to play un-phased and rounded up a truly captivating set.
Their first gig at the Ironworks and The Ragazzi managed to pull in the biggest crowd of the night. They delivered a set of punchy indie tunes that got the crowd moving. In their recent interview they noted that The Vaccines as an inspiration to them, this came across as they too fall firmly into the indie category and have short high energy songs. They also already seem to have their own fan club and recruited more as the crowd were drawn in with every song.
Their lyrics were full of what seemed to be teen angst, or possibly just brutal honesty. They boldly dedicated “Work Shy Wannabe” to an unnamed local band – the song tells a story of how some people get opportunities handed to them and that it’s all about ‘who you know’. It certainly seems that they’re not afraid to voice their opinions. When not putting the world to rights, their other songs seem to be based on topics that our brains were obsessed with in our teenage years, but it works perfectly in the format they play. Highlights from their set also included “Jelly” and new song “Conversation Killer.”
Each week so far, the showcases have brought three completely different types of artists together – yet it works. The third night was no exception, Habitat were the final band to play and they brought a grunge rock vibe to the evening. They transported the remainder of the crowd to a time where grunge was all the rage and enticed people to get involved with their music. They again appeared to have their own elite fan club, but managed to draw people in receiving a very warm reception from those who remained.
As with many bands in the Showcase line-up, they’re a fairly new band with their first gig only having been in June. Despite this, they appeared to be very confident and comfortable up on the stage. Highlights from their set included “Hit and Run” and “Black Eyed Sorceress.”
Next week sees City In Surveillance, Disco Cats (see our interview with the band) and Charlies Ranch take their turn, ensure to head down to the Ironworks for 8pm to catch all of the bands.
Click to read more of our coverage of the gigs.