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Vukovi with support – Ironworks, Inverness, 25/06/16. A review.

On Saturday night the Ironworks hosted four Scottish bands with headliners Vukovi being the main event.  Vukovi were supported by All So Simple, Silver Coast and Iain McLaughlin and the Outsiders.  I seriously can’t fault this line-up.  These guys complemented each other perfectly and there was a real sense of community and genuine support among each and every one of them.

Ripped jeans, denim jackets, checked shirts and side fringes – local band All So Simple instantly set the scene for an energetic pop-punk performance, and indeed the night in full.   The newbie to the group, Emily, was received well by the crowd and complemented the lead vocals fantastically.

The acoustic sections of the performance in particular showcased Emily’s vocals, allowing her to make a real statement.  The chemistry between them was impressive considering they have self-professed ‘self-esteem issues’ within the group.   Hopefully they will gain more confidence in themselves!  It’s a shame the set couldn’t have been longer as they really seemed to come into their own by the final two songs, perhaps finding it daunting to open such a show.  They were greatly encouraged by the Blink-182 cover which got the audience singing along.  I am encouraged to watch these guys grow and hope they develop greater belief in themselves and the fantastic potential they have, both individually and as one.

Local rock band Silver Coast performed as the second support of the evening, bringing an incredible energy to the Ironworks venue.  The performance was truly polished, though this was effortlessly achieved through the unmistakeable passion from each individual on stage.  The audience reception was extremely enthusiastic for the Silver Coast boys.

When the band performed ‘Wake Up’ one audience member excitedly claimed “this is my cycling song!”  This perfectly summarises the versatility and easy listening aspect to the band.  The group commanded both the stage and crowd as a single entity, with the guitarists, drummer and lead singer giving 110% for the entirety of the set.

Some of the tracks seriously wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Radio 1’s recent Rock All-Dayer.  ‘Wake Up’ is instantly recognisable as a hit and the crowd’s enthusiasm at this point reflected this.  These guys are made for bigger things and have the capability to encapsulate a much larger stage and crowd.  I look forward to seeing where they stand in a few years from now.

The theatrical and intense introduction for the third support of the evening, Iain McLaughlin and the Outsiders, struck an instant change in mood.  The dim lighting, lengthy instrumental and all-in-black dress code seemed to instigate a dark and intriguing atmosphere.  Iain’s voice is made for rock music and at times the band had an air of the Foo Fighters.  However, comparing this group to anyone else would seem inappropriate.

At one point a joke request from the crowd for the classic ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ received a swift middle finger!  This really captures the band’s ‘if you don’t like it, we don’t care’ attitude, which to me is an admirable trait.  Guitarist Dave deserves a special mention for the energy and life he brought to the stage, truly rocking out.

Again, I can imagine these guys commanding a much larger audience and venue.  Overall the performance displayed cleverly struck contrasts between heavy, strobe-lit choruses and low-key mysterious verses full of heart-felt lyrics.  The frequent strobe-lighting against the dark stage matched the energy and drama of the set perfectly.  I am quite confident that this band would give the same 110% whether it be to the Ironworks or a stage at Glastonbury, and it is a massive shame that it was there last gig until the band release of their 3rd record.

Female-fronted rock band Vukovi headlined the evening, and they most certainly did not disappoint!  From the moment she bounced (yes literally) onto the stage, the immense energy from lead singer Janine did not falter.  Her bare-footed performance gave a certain atmosphere, stripping the intensity back from Iain McLaughlin and the Outsiders to allow for a mood change.  The green and purple lighting coupled with Janine’s pastel coloured hair and vibrant energy made for a super funky stage.  The most memorable song for me has to be ‘Bouncy Castle’ which is the most fitting song title for such an energetic and fun performer.

The perfect blend of rock chick and dancing queen, Janine did an effortless job of facilitating crowd participation.  The energy from the crowd was immense considering the venue being fairly empty.  Just as I have pointed out with the support bands, Vukovi are capable of commanding a much larger crowd, particularly Janine with her infectious personality and lively nature.

However she modestly claimed the Ironworks to be ‘too big a venue’ for them, I would disagree!  The ability to dance (and dance well), at the same time as keeping the vocals on point, is something Janine deserves a huge amount of credit for.  As with the supports, I could really feel a sense of great friendship within this band which made the whole performance that bit better.  The guitarists and drummer channelled just as much energy as Janine bringing the entirety of the stage to life.

Vukovi’s rock cover of the 1975’s ‘Love Me’ went down particularly well with the crowd and was the perfect song for Janine to perform, being a very confident and spirited individual.  The whole band had a shining confidence about them which gave such a positive energy to the entire room.

Janine really played to the cameras, getting down on her knees and crawling along the stage, before jumping to her feet and shouting ‘Inverness, do you love me?!’  ….. We 100% did.

See the photos of the night.

A notefrom the editor

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Amber Hinde
Amber Hinde
Being a student of English Language at Glasgow University and a lover of live music, particularly rock, writing about gigs is a great way to channel multiple interests. Living in Glasgow during term time opens up many opportunities to go to gigs of all shapes and sizes, which is the perfect match for my versatile music taste. I am a big believer of describing things in words, no matter how much something may seem indescribable (e.g. a phenomenal gig). Therefore I set myself the task of presenting live music to readers through the wonderful art form that is language. Inverness is the Highland hub for culture and entertainment, therefore giving well-deserved credit to the events held here is something I am passionate about. Essentially words and music are two of the greatest things life has to offer and being able to combine them is something very special.

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