On a winter night in the city, with an oncoming snowstorm making headlines, fans are ready to set the place ablaze with a three-band bill headlined by Manchester band Hot Milk. Returning to the city, they promise a great night of music at SWG3.
Opening tonight were Atlanta, USA nu-metal band Silly Goose, who shook the cobwebs from the venue with their powerful sound and high-energy stage presence. The four-piece covered serious ground on stage, channelling that energy into the Glasgow crowd and igniting the first circle pits of the night. Set highlights included Neighbors and the excellent Tsunami. Their set was short, but they certainly left their mark on Glasgow.
Next up was the excellent Cassyette, who had the crowd fired up from the very first track. Their in-your-face rock, complete with some cathartic screams, kicked off with “Ipecac” and instantly took the energy to another level – a momentum that never let up through their short set. Highlights included “Sex Metal” and “This Fucking World Sucks.” The three-piece delivered a massive, cohesive sound that grabbed the audience from the start. It was brief but blistering – power-driven, hard-rocking, and a band well worth checking out.
Next up was Manchester’s Hot Milk. As the lights dimmed, a long intro and a warning announcement set the tone, building atmosphere and tension. At the peak, the lights went wild and we got our first glimpse of the band. When Han Mee stepped onto the stage, the noise level went through the roof – and it surged again as Jim Shaw took his position.
The band lit the touchpaper as they exploded into the excellent “Hell Is On Its Way,” with every member rocking out on stage – none more so than Jim and Han. They have a dark edge, but they know how to captivate an audience. During “Swallow,” Han was seen drinking from a bottle of water before pouring it over the front rows.
Jim took the lead vocals on the brilliant “I Just Wanna Know What Happens When I’m Dead,” giving Han a chance to connect more with the crowd as he stepped onto the lower bass cabinet to get closer to the front rows. The performance was electrifying, their stage presence filling the entire venue.
It was a thrill to hear “Candy Coated Lie$” – I think for the first time in the UK – followed by the excellent “The American Machine.” The pace eased when the acoustic guitars came out for a beautiful rendition of “Breathing Underwater.” It was probably the first moment of the night when you could clearly hear the band’s vocals; until then, it had been full-on.
During the set, Hans called out several times for the crowd to open the floor, and Glasgow certainly obliged, as a large circle pit formed in the centre of the venue. “Time” was one big party in Glasgow, and you could tell from the band’s faces that they were enjoying every second.
The band ended their set with a bang, tearing through “Asphyxiate” before closing with “Glass Spiders.” Was this the end, or would they be back?
Of course they would they came for a reason and that was to create mayhem and rock the venue, this they did and tore the venue to bits with an awesome encore starting off with Sympathy Symphony, Party on My Deathbed before saying their goodbyes to the city the ripped the roof of the venue with music and voices to the brilliant Chase the Dragon.
Tonight was special, have seen the band a few times but they have took things to a different level, in your face and the dual vocals just works a treat. Han and Jim take a bow as you put on one hell of a show.
If you get a chance to go, see the band don’t miss it… They will be hitting the big arenas soon and you will miss the intimate rock out
Review & Photographs by James Edmond photography
