James Allan, Glasvegas, The Hi-Fi Bar, 25th July 2011

Gallery: Glasvegas

The 3 Scotsmen and one, er, Scotswoman hit Melbourne for the first time in their career at the city’s brilliant Hi-Fi bar.

Having spent the last year touring the UK and supporting some big name acts in U2 and the Kings of Leon, the Glaswegians seemed to revel in the cosy atmosphere of the Monday night Melbourne crowd.

Armed with an arsenal of songs from their self titled 2008 debut album, and current offering Euphoric Heartbreak, the NME darlings blew the crowd away for their 90 minute set. The opening salvo of World Is Yours and You were topped only by a whole crowd singalong of It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry.

Frontman James Allan was clearly blown away by the crowd involvement and seemed to feed off it. A curious crowd request for a cover of Supersonic by Oasis was honoured, at least up until the end of the first verse when Allan forgot the lyrics.

With deep rooted drums, driving guitars, and a vocal from a very comfortable frontman that hits you like a Scottish barfight, Glasvegas had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands, with Allan at times taking you to his homeland and at others wishing you had subtitles.

It’s always good to hear someone sing in their native accent. So many vocalists subconsciously adopt some bizarre trans-atlantic singing voice, whereas Allan could never be accused of hailing from anywhere but Glasgow. He makes Billy Connolly seem like a fine purveyor of the Queen’s english.

Highlights tonight included the rousing Geraldine, the already mentioned It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry, finale Daddy’s Gone and first set closer Go Square Go. “Here we fucking go”? Indeed.