A good gig can leave you wanting more. A great gig can have you checking the band’s next tour dates before you’ve even made it home. After seeing Domiciles tear the roof off PJ Molloys in Dunfermline a few weeks earlier, I was more than ready for another dose of their particular brand of rock and roll.
This time the venue was Blue Arrow in Glasgow and, as an added bonus, the support came from old favourites Tomorrow Syndicate. Having already seen Tomorrow Syndicate several times over the previous few months, I knew they would provide the perfect warm-up for the evening. It’s always nice when a lineup comes together naturally rather than feeling like two unrelated bands have simply been thrown onto the same bill.
Tomorrow Syndicate once again delivered exactly what I’ve come to expect from them. Strong songs, plenty of energy and a straightforward rock and roll approach that never tries too hard to be fashionable. By this point I was becoming something of a regular at their gigs, and it was great to see them continuing to build momentum.
Of course, the main reason I was there was Domiciles. Sometimes you worry that a band might not live up to the memory of a particularly good first performance. Fortunately, that wasn’t a problem here. If anything, seeing them again only reinforced my original opinion. They had the same confidence, the same intensity and the same ability to grab an audience’s attention from the moment they stepped on stage.
One of the things I appreciate most about discovering a band early is the opportunity to watch them develop. Every gig reveals something new, whether it’s a stronger performance, a tighter set or simply a growing confidence. Domiciles already had all the ingredients needed to make an impression, and nights like this suggested they were only getting started.
After the show I had the chance to catch up with the lads from Domiciles, which is one of the advantages of spending time in smaller venues. You don’t disappear into an anonymous crowd the moment the music stops. Instead, conversations continue long after the final song has finished, helping to create the sense of community that keeps local music scenes alive.
Their CD has since become a regular feature in my car. In fact, I would argue that it’s almost impossible to appreciate properly at low volume. This is music that benefits from being turned up loud, allowed to breathe and given the space to make its presence felt. If you happen to get hold of a copy, that’s exactly how I’d recommend listening to it.
Looking back, this was another reminder that some of the most rewarding nights in live music happen far away from the arenas and stadiums. A great headline band, a strong support act and the chance to discover artists before everyone else catches on. That’s a formula that’s difficult to beat.
The mobile clips below capture some of the evening, although as always, they only tell part of the story. The real experience was standing in the room with the volume turned up and letting the music do the rest.
Here are the mobile clips.
Good to chat with the boys from Domiciles afterwards.
I play their CD in my car quite often but it has to be played loud to really get it. I recommend you get it and try.
The Photos
Cheers!
Donate
