Live Review

Eva Plays Dead – Audio, Glasgow

• 23rd Mar 2013

Eva Plays Dead brought their Guilt Trips And Sins album tour to Glasgow last night, playing an exciting and hard rocking set that went down very well with the rather small audience. It was very much to the band’s credit that they gave such a fine, committed performance despite the numbers present. And they had good support from three local acts who helped to ensure that those who did attend had a good night of rock music to enjoy.

Gambit were first on stage at the former Rockers venue, recently re-opened in its new guise. The Glasgow band have a hard rock, two guitar sound with plenty of power and got the night off to a good start. California from a previous EP was perhaps the pick of a decent short set.

The strangely named Outstandifold And The Wettygrippers from Kilmarnock were next. With a punk edge to their rock and some big choruses, it was a high energy performance. They use change of pace well and intricate lead guitar work shone through in some of the slower passages. Wide Awake, which followed a burst of Deep Purple’s Black Night, stood out, a solid rock song with great vocals.

Coming onto stage to a backing track that gradually built to a crescendo, Eva Plays Dead burst straight into action. The young four piece band have a dynamic rock approach, with lead singer Tiggy Dockerty’s excellent voice well backed by Seb Boyce’s pounding drumming, Zach Shannon’s powerful bass work and Matt Gascoyne’s big guitar riffs and cutting solos. There is a confidence to their performance that belies the youth of the band and they fit well together to create some tremendous rock music.

Much of the, too short, half hour set came from the fine debut album Guilt Trips And Sins, released this week. Secret has a sultry edge to it, building into a fast paced rocker. Taking Over Control was delivered in commanding fashion, Dockerty’s expressive vocals soaring high and crystal clear.

Things Change, an emotional song about former partners, was a highlight, played fast and loud with passionate vocals that told the story in real style. The band’s current single We’re Gonna Make It was also excellent, the anthemic chorus belted out with the two guitarists providing strong backing vocals.

Also played were the lovely 1950’s Woman, a melodic older song that didn’t make the album, and the closing Home Movie, a new track that ended the set in tremendous fashion, one last burst of controlled power to conclude a great performance on a high note.

Third support act The Detours came on after the headliners for some reason. And the five piece Glasgow band finished off the night well with a good set full of melodic classic rock songs. Their lead singer has a strong voice and the full band showed considerable talent, as Free and new song Run Too Far stood out in a hard rocking and entertaining set.

Eva Plays Dead are undoubtedly a young rock band with plenty of talent. They showed here that their live performances are as good as their album would suggest, and that they have the chance of going a long way. I’m sure that the next time they come back to Glasgow they will be playing to a much bigger audience.

Venue: Audio, Glasgow
Support Band: Gambit, Outstandifold And The Wettygrippers, The Detours