Halo Tora with support from Audio Jar and In The Pines, Mad Hatters, Inverness, 4/9/2015. A review.
Apologies to these Audio Jar, who we talked to about their plans at the begining of the year, I only caught the last 30 seconds of their set and was busy trying to get a couple of pics.
I have been assured ,by an audience member who’s opinion I trust, that they were “really good”.
In the Pines, (formerly Bear Jacket) were in a wash of beautiful warm distortions, and a very tight sound with the new drummer Blair, previously of Theatre Fall. At times they reminded me a lot of the American rock band, The Dangerous Summer.
However, very specifically at one point I heard in my head 3 minutes and 8 seconds into Home Versus Home by the Xcerts go through my head as I was searching for a comparison.
It was odd having three completely different vocal styles from the members taking lead, though their voices accompanied each other well. The challenge, I suspect, is that with three different lead vocals they may struggle to find a clear identity.
For a band from Glasgow to come to Inverness on a Thursday night and pull a decent attentive crowd is an impressive feat and Halo Tora from the start impressed, in the first track you get blown away and reminded how powerful this band are.
This is their first night of the tour taking them all across the UK with their headline show the next evening a sell-out. Playing tracks from their first EP and their brand new album, Omini/One Halo Tora immersed the crowd in their music from start to finish, the band dynamic in sound, height and hair.
Huge guitar sounds, stunning harmonies and driving bass lines push this band along and I hope to see them get the success they deserve. Shout out to them also for being really lovely guys.
Check out their latest single and get your ears round their new album. You won’t regret it.
