One of the benefits of working with other music fans is that recommendations occasionally arrive from unexpected places.
In this case, a friend at work suggested I check out a band called Pastel. After giving their debut album a listen, I could immediately hear why they had caught his attention. There was a definite Stone Roses influence running through the music, mixed with plenty of swagger, melody and youthful confidence.
That was enough for me.
Before long, I had bought tickets for Emma and me to see them in Edinburgh and find out whether they could deliver the goods live as well as they did on record.
The evening turned out to be a strong showcase for homegrown talent before the headliners even appeared.
First up were The Borderline from Fife.
It’s always nice to see local bands getting the opportunity to play in front of bigger crowds, and they made the most of it. Their set was packed with energy and confidence, proving that Scotland continues to produce plenty of promising young musicians. They warmed the audience up nicely and set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Next came The Volts from West Lothian.
Like The Borderline, they approached the gig with enthusiasm and conviction. One of the pleasures of attending concerts like this is discovering bands you may not have actively sought out yourself. The Volts certainly gave people plenty of reasons to investigate them further after the show.
By the time they finished, the crowd was more than ready for the main attraction.
Then it was Pastel’s turn.
The band have been attracting a great deal of attention, with some commentators boldly describing them as saviours of guitar music. That’s quite a burden to place on the shoulders of any young band, especially considering guitar music has supposedly been dying every few years for the last half-century.
Thankfully, Pastel seemed completely unconcerned by such expectations.
What impressed me most was their attitude. They clearly loved what they were doing and understood that rock and roll should be fun. Too many bands become trapped by their own seriousness, but Pastel managed to strike a perfect balance. They didn’t take themselves too seriously, yet they took the music seriously enough to deliver a powerful and entertaining performance.
That combination is surprisingly rare.
The Stone Roses influence was certainly present, but rather than sounding like a tribute act they used those influences as a foundation for something of their own. The songs had energy, melody and plenty of confidence, while the band themselves looked like they were having the time of their lives on stage.
Which, in turn, made the audience have a great time too.
Emma enjoyed the evening as much as I did, and by the end it felt like we’d witnessed a band that genuinely deserved the attention they were receiving. Whether they become the future of guitar music remains to be seen, but they certainly possess the ingredients required to make a serious impact.
Looking back, it was one of those gigs where every act contributed something worthwhile. The Borderline represented Fife admirably, The Volts flew the flag for West Lothian and Pastel proved they were more than capable of living up to the growing buzz surrounding them.
The videos and photographs below capture some of the evening. If you’re a fan of guitar bands with melody, swagger and a healthy dose of rock and roll spirit, Pastel are definitely worth checking out.
Next up were a band called The Volts from West Lothian.
Then it was the turn of the headliners and a band who are getting a great deal of attention as the saviours of guitar music….apparently.
I enjoyed the rock’n’roll spirit of Pastel, they were good fun and didn’t take themselves too seriously while still seriously rocking out.
You can read a review of the gig here.
The Photos
Cheers!
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