Saturday night saw the Priory come alive with indie rock resonating around the church .
AGP presented a massive headline hometown show for Aberdeen favourites The Capollos at the Priory. The venue is The Saint Lukes of the Granite City and makes a nice back drop for bands, for sure. It was busy from the outset , storm Amy didn’t seem to have put anyone off coming out for a great night of homegrown talent from the Granite city.
I have been to Aberdeen a few times for shows in various venues but it was great to see a new venue and 3 (new to me) bands. I felt there was more sense of unity in the scene between bands and audience (as I bumped in to several musicians I knew from others bands) than what I have seen before which is what keeps the local music scene alive.
Hector Boys
4 piece indie – pop band Hector Boys, opened the show. Never the easiest to open a show, especially of that size but the guys didn’t seem at all phased. Their set started quite upbeat indie pop, enough to make people dance. It grew into something heavier and darker with their new material leaning in to the more rock side of indie which showed their versitility as a band. They teased a new song which I really liked. So keep an eye out for this track!
The Velvet Room
The Velvet Room have been making waves in the Aberdeen scene and I seem to see their name a lot; which is only a good thing. 4 piece indie-rock band with a dark blues/rock influence; think the doors come Arctic Monkeys , AM era! The guys had good support and I can see why. Their songs are catchy and their set transitions are spot on. One of their songs is a creative take and a ‘borrowed’ riff from Eminem, bit disapointed front man James never rapped.. maybe a new thing to add to the set next time lads! 😉 A band worth watching for and a real support to the Aberdeen music scene as regularly sharing content from other bands or going to shows – a true example of support of the scene.
The Capollos
The Capollos are hype guys. The place was buzzing with excited fans, plentyCapollos band t-shirts amongst the crowd. The place erupted as they took to the Priory stage – their biggest hometown headliner to date. They came out the gate hot, strong and eager. Front man Kyle demands your attention, front and centre, tambourine in hand and bringing all the energy. The band snuck in a cheeky Oasis cover, Rock n Roll star, it appers Oasis Mania is not over and was truly alive and well in Aberdeen, the energy and love in the Priory was undeniable.
On their website, they describe themselves as;
The Capollos are a ferocious force, combining melody, energy, swagger and a coolness that borders on effortless.
I dont think they are far wrong with that description. The band have energy and swag in abudance, very clearly influenced by the likes of Oasis and Stone Roses era of bands, The Capollos are keen to be a name that everyone will remember. The band write cachy sing-a-long, indie rock bangers that will stay with you, long after the gig ends! It was aparent this gig meant a lot to the band and their presence, slick set list and crowd pleasing covers showed they had grafted to put on a show of this size and calibre.
Musicians and music fans need a community. Music is steeped in culture and needs to be respected and proteced as such. The community need to conitunely have places to congretate, soak up the atmosphere and network. Music venues across the UK are closing at an alarmingly fast rate and it’s thanks to promoters like AGP in Aberdeen and others across Scotland that keep the scene alive and provide opportunities for bands to showcase their art.
It’s more important than ever to get out and catch these shows. Musicians work hard behind the scenes to write, record, create content, promote shows and play live. Supporting your scene ensures bands know to keep going, that what they are doing matters. Buy advance tickets, see cool shows, make awesome memories.
Bonnie Scotland Presents is driven by the belief that music has the power to inspire and unite us all. Nights like these, are a prime example of music bringing people together and I’m glad I was there to witness it and write about it all for those who missed out. Your favourite big acts were once the support bands or played aroud the country in small grassroots music venues. Be excited about watching bands progress! Check out the bands socials, give them a follow and see what they get up to next.
Enjoy the flex of saying “I once saw this band play to 100 folk”
