Live Review

Dutch Uncles – King Tut’s, Glasgow

• 2nd Mar 2011

Manchester indie group Dutch Uncles headlined an eclectic night of music in Glasgow to close their eight date UK tour. The gig wasn’t sold out but those who did come along on a Monday night enjoyed their dance–along set.

First on stage were The Young Spookes. With feedback heavy guitar, frantic drums and pounding bass this was something of an aural assault. The impossibly tall lead singer spent much of the set off the stage as he howled and screamed into the mic, his vocals largely hidden under layers of reverb and other effects. Arty rock or self indulgence? I think the audience was split.

Captain and the Kings came next. The Glasgow family band’s indie pop has a pleasant folky feel with just a tinge of country influence and they played a nice set. With a strong male lead vocal ably backed by two female voices the harmonies were satisfying and worked well with the instrumental backing, which included, at various times, keyboards, accordion and violin.

Suspire, a Glasgow based three piece rock band, were the pick of the support acts. They have a fast paced and solid sound that is uncomplicated yet entertaining. Their lead singer Paul Duffin has a fine vocal range and adds the odd guitar flourish. He is ably backed by the powerful bass of his brother Mark, while Clare Kelly on drums pounds the skins with real purpose. Suspire played a fine set that quite simply rocked.

The Dutch Uncles played 10 songs in a set that lasted 45 minutes. Most will feature on the long awaited album Credenza, which will be out in April, but there were a few older tracks played too.

From the start lead singer Duncan Wallis was the centre of attention, dancing and gyrating as he delivered his passionate vocals. Opening with Sting and Dressage the mood was joyous from the off, the dance rhythms being reflected by the audience.

For Twelfth, Wallis took to the keyboards, adding another layer to a sound that featured twin guitars and a heavy bass line. The pop stylings are catchy, the rhythms exciting and the overall effect is intriguing and different.

Cadenza, which will be a single as well as the new album’s title track, was superb. It has a radio friendly feel, yet there is an intricacy to its structure that hints at hidden meanings.

Current single Face In is a party song. It is bouncy and has a nice hook that brings together the guitars and the keyboards. The sound is almost heading towards rock at times, but there is something that pulls it back to pop.

The final track Zalo, which will also close the album, is another fine dance along track, keyboards frills soaring over the guitars and bringing things to a conclusion in a cacophony of noise.

Dutch Uncles have a sound that is at times aggressive, at others softer and pop laden. They create an atmosphere that is different to many indie bands, the rhythms distinct and unusual at the same time. And the audience certainly appreciated the music as well as the opportunity to dance along.