THOUGH they have a long-winded name, Belfast band And So I Watch You From Afar were anything but tedious during their performance at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut on Tuesday.
Despite dedicating much of their set to entirely new songs from their forthcoming album Heirs, the instrumental quartet’s performance inspired a riotous energy to manifest in the Glasgow crowd.
Having established themselves as one of the best live bands in the country, it’s fitting that they managed to sell out the legendary King Tut’s venue so quickly. Rather than being hooked around vocals, their heavy, guitar-based sound is formed around dynamic build-ups and punchy musical phrases. It felt right at home in the sweaty King Tut’s setting.
“It’s a joy to play King Tut’s every time because the atmosphere is so electric,” explains guitarist Rory Friers.
“Glasgow actually always reminds me of shows we used to play in Portrush. Even though it’s a city, there’s that same passion. The crowd here don’t come to just nod and observe, they want to go crazy.”
The band’s decision to perform without a vocalist has given them an edge since they formed a decade ago. Their distinct sound has earned them album of the year nominations for the Meteor Choice Music Prize for every one they’ve released.
However with chanted vocals playing a bigger role on their upcoming fourth record, the group are adding another element to their well-developed style.
“I have butterflies when it comes to performing new tracks,” admits Friers. “Our approach is to react to where we were on our last album and then throw the ball away as far as from where we were as possible.”
Tuesday’s show certainly wasn’t lacking in variety. Tracks varied from euphoric gig-openers Run Home and These Secret Kings I Know to more slow-burning, crescendo based pieces.
However, the remainder of the set was still composed of the most frenetic tracks from their back catalogue. The aptly named Set Guitars To Kill sparked the biggest moshpit of the night while Gang (Starting Never Stopping) led to a valiant attempt at crowd-surfing from Friers, who could only be held back by a security guard.
The guitarist says he values this crowd interaction: “I think fans can always spot complacency and they can always spot sincerity. When we saw that we’d sold out King Tut’s, our reaction was to rehearse that little bit harder. It’s humbling and heart-warming that people would spend £15 of their hard earned cash to come and see us.”
With Heirs released next week, the band are set to embark on one of their biggest tours yet.
Heirs is out on 4 May on Sargent House records. You can stream it online now before you buy.
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