Bad Nerves – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut

Some bands take years to win you over.

Others manage it in about three songs.

That was certainly the case with Bad Nerves.

I first saw them supporting The Darkness and was immediately blown away. Their set was packed with energy, hooks and attitude, and by the time they left the stage I was already looking up their music. Not long afterwards I bought tickets to see them again when they supported The Hives, only to discover that my initial enthusiasm hadn’t been misplaced.

If anything, seeing them a second time made me even more convinced.

By that point, I was telling anyone who would listen that Bad Nerves were the closest thing I’ve seen to a modern-day Ramones.

So when they announced a headline show in Glasgow, there was never any doubt that I would be there.

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut felt like the perfect venue for them too. Some bands belong in arenas. Bad Nerves belong in a room where the audience are close enough to feel every blast of energy coming from the stage. King Tut’s has launched countless careers over the years and remains one of the best places in Scotland to catch a band on the rise.

Before the main event, we were treated to a set from American support act Ultra Q.

Support bands often have a difficult job when the crowd is packed with people eagerly awaiting the headliner, but Ultra Q more than held their own. They brought a different flavour to the evening while fitting naturally alongside Bad Nerves’ high-energy approach. By the end of their set they had won over plenty of the audience and provided the perfect lead-in to what was about to follow.

Then Bad Nerves exploded onto the stage.

There really isn’t a better word for it.

From the first song onwards, they attacked the set with the same relentless energy that had impressed me during their support slots. The difference this time was that they had a room full of people who had specifically come to see them. The atmosphere was electric from start to finish.

What I love about Bad Nerves is their complete refusal to overcomplicate things.

The songs are sharp, fast, melodic and packed with hooks. They understand that rock and roll doesn’t always need to be clever. Sometimes it just needs to grab you by the collar and refuse to let go. Like The Ramones before them, they seem capable of condensing everything great about guitar music into two or three exhilarating minutes.

Standing in King Tut’s watching them tear through song after song, it felt obvious that the band were moving beyond the support-act stage of their career. The audience knew every word, the room was bouncing and there was a genuine sense that something exciting was happening.

Those are the gigs you remember.

Looking back, it was satisfying to see how quickly the journey had unfolded. From discovering them while supporting The Darkness, to seeing them again with The Hives, to finally watching them headline their own Glasgow show, each concert had reinforced my belief that Bad Nerves were one of the most exciting bands around.

Emma had already become familiar with my enthusiasm by this point and probably knew exactly what was coming before we even arrived.

Another night of me telling everyone that Bad Nerves are the modern-day Ramones.

After this performance, I saw no reason to change my mind.

The videos and photographs below capture some of the evening, including support act Ultra Q and a headline set from a band who continue to convince me that the future of rock and roll is in very good hands.