Red Eye Pariah brought the Irish charm to the sweatbox Garage Attic, closing their UK Tequilla King tour in the vibrant city.
Kicking off the night and hailing from the Highlands of Scotland, Morrie Dolan set the tone for the evening. I’m going to hazard a guess that Morrie was either brought up in a household with a great music taste, or as she grew up she discovered a record store in her hometown – the influences were strong in her set.
Imagine some of the best female vocalists — Stevie Nicks, Dolores O’Riordan and Shania Twain — came together with the music of Nirvana and Led Zeppelin. I did say the musical influence was strong!
At only 21 years old, Morrie has a bright future ahead. She released a new EP in April, which you should definitely check out. The band also covered the classic Chris Isaak track Wicked Game, which got the crowd singing. Morrie drops a new single, Break Up With Your Boyfriend, on the 4th of June
Next up to play what felt like a sauna at this point was Quaint! The band made quite the enterance as they rocked up on stage wearing sunglasses and radiating confidence.
Their intro was unique- a programmed walk on and an intimidating laugh that instantly captured the attention before a note was even struck.
Quaint are an alt/rock band based in Glasgow who draw upon influences from the likes of indie rockers Catfish and The Bottlemen and Fontaines D.C while paying homage to classic bands such as Pink Floyd and Oasis. It’s a mix that works – if you don’t believe me check out their show in The Poetry Club on the 26th of June (click the link for tickets). If you like a band that is musicially tight, enjoys experimenting with chords and structures, delivers cool bass lines and you were into the Arctic Monkeys AM era, then Quaint should be added to your playlists.
Headliners for the night, Red Eye Pariah, took to the stage with serious energy. Their indie-rock-funk fusion set was electric, and the crowd were evidently here for a good time. By the time they came on stage, some gig-goers had already left — bet they regret that, because they missed an incredible show!
Funny story about how I heard about this one… Back in Dundee in 2015, I met a couple at Dundee Blues Bonanza and we’ve kept in touch over the years. A few months ago, I received a message from Jason telling me about his son’s band, Red Eye Pariah, and their upcoming UK tour. I listened to one song and knew I had to be at this show. The music scene is such a small world, and it’s moments like this that remind me how many wonderfully supportive people are part of it — and how important connections can be. Without that message, this band might not have come to my attention.
Red Eye Pariah love to play with tempo changes, adding in killer stabs and fills. Joe (drummer) is a monster on the kit, and the rhythm section — bassist Alex and Joe — bounce off each other incredibly well throughout the set. They are locked in! You’d never have guessed it was the band’s first time in Glasgow — the reception they got made it feel like they’d never been away. As frontman Sammy said, this place “feels like home”. That’s the kind of welcome they deserved — and more.
To me, true happiness is rocking up to a small music venue, seeing three bands you might not know, and having a cracking night. Disocerving something new and exciting and being in at the start of a bands journey, who doesn’t like the brag “I saw them when they were playing in a venue to 100 people” . So many bands and artists go under the radar because people don’t take risks — but I’ve yet to be disappointed when checking out what’s happening in the scene across Scotland.
It’s thanks to the PRS Foundation that bands like Red Eye Pariah have the incredible opportunity to tour. Grants like these give bands the chance to play to new fans, in grassroots venues, to showcase their art and celebrate their hard work. What was especially lovely about this end-of-tour show was seeing partners and friends of the band travel over from Ireland to support them — and present them with medals for ‘surviving’ 10 days on the road together! Heart-warming and hilarious.
Public service announcement: Take a chance. Go grab an £8–£10 ticket and have fun discovering the exceptional scope of independent bands and artists in your local venues.
