It’s grassroots…it’s shoegaze…and it’s underground (literally). Join the ride as I talk all things day 1 of Substance Volume 2.
I had the absolute pleasure of going to all three days of Substance Volume 2 held by Under the Surface and although I was under no restriction to stay and go to all 3 days or stay the whole night, how could I not? I’ve been to a few festivals and gigs over my years but this was unparalleled, the warm welcoming atmosphere of all these musicians, fans, friends and family was a joy to witness and be a part of. Something that has stuck with me is what Rogan said in the Festival Preview that Bonnie did before the event kicked off, that they’ve ” started to see it grow into something that feels more like a community.” And I couldn’t agree more, the collaboration and support from every person in that room as these bands played was electric, showcasing the power that live music can have on people.
Day 1 was held in the sadly now shut down Roots. I’ve been to a handful of gigs at this venue and every time i’ve been surprised by how good the sound is in this small, underground place. The coherence between each band was unmatched, each artist flowing into the other, and complimenting the others to create a cohesive experience of shoegaze style music to bless our ears.
First up for the night we had Visiting Friends. A Dundee based band, playing ethereal, shoegaze type music, pairing gritty vocals and excellent basslines. The band overall were giving me a vibe that fans of RATBOY would perhaps enjoy and were very solid musically. They switched singers during the set and hyped up the night perfectly with their Deftones inspired sound.
Second up was Guano. I felt like these guys gave more of an old school metal vibe with super distorted guitars, heavier basslines and drums that stood prominently and strong in their songs. They were giving old school Biffy Clyro as an indie metal trio with metal like guitar solos and incredible drumming to support, creating a very coherent composition.
Count The Days added great hype to the crowd, being very in touch with their audience and how to get everyone jumping. For me they gave Scottish, The Streets but with a dash of The Clash that is super nostalgic for me personally. They were more fast paced than the previous bands which matched the energy in the room flawlessly. Overall the band looked like they were having a great time on the stage, which definitely reflected into their performance.
Next up… RUDEFACE. This Fife shoegaze, metal band were bringing all the energy in their set. Instrumentally this band was very tight and coherent, you could tell they play often and have been at this for long enough to sound extremely put together. Lewis was extremely interactive with the crowd, creating a lot of hype during their set and showcasing the best of their talents for the ever growing crowd. This band overall know exactly who they are and what they want to be and this was reflected perfectly throughout.
Last but not least The Curvy Squares wowed the crowd with their groovy melodies as they closed the night perfectly. The band were incredibly coherent and musically very solid. The vocals were strong throughout delivering a Pink Floyd style performance, alongside consistently strong drumming and excellent guitar riffs and solos, that got the crowd jumping and cheering. The perfect band to end a perfect night.
I’m just getting started with Substance Volume 2 and the performances over the three days so keep an eye on my review for day 2 at Hidden very soon.
