On Friday the 17th of March, while most people were retiring from a day of day drinking
or seeing Jedward in Three Sisters, we hosted a sold-out gig in Sneaky Pete’s for Violet Monstera and Weatherman.
Opening the night, Weatherman showcased a focus on their 125th anniversary Celtic
kit-wearing saxophonist on their first track of the night. Making use of good drum work and subtle violin, it introduced the separate talents of the band extremely well. This built into a professed love song dominated by the frontman’s Ian Curtis fashion presence and a more dynamic arrangement backing, really grasping the audience’s enthusiasm in representing the real balances of the band that would go on to be divulged for the rest of their set. For “Morning Song,” we saw a switch of instruments between guitarist and bassist, an increase in gain, and alarm-clock-like guitar that smoothly calmed into a violin- and saxophone-driven dualism and drums that captured more attention in slightly overriding the equilibrium of the song.
Following this, Weatherman gave a nicely original cover of the Ting Tings’s “That’s Not
My Name” with a switch of vocalist and fun highlight of saxophone and violin once again mirroring. The undeniable talents of the band here worked extremely well to maintain a fluid and light carelessness hard not to invest in and sing along to. Moving onwards, the tempo slowed and guitar and bass were returned to original players as a subtle building of drums progressed to the most notable solo of the night in the form of an inspired saxophone solo gradually favoured with an emphatic increase of drums that strengthened the set’s personality.
This strengthening continues as the violinist is brought to the front of the instrumental
layering on the next track, one peppered with a more optimistic and animated presence. Amongst the vocals attractiveness to those who enjoy the likes of Black Country, New Road, the bassline walked us through something much more positive in a particularly easy fashion. Weatherman’s penultimate track demonstrated exactly what is exciting about this band in one of the main highlights of the night. From the opening, isolated saxophone and simple cymbal-based drumming came a parallel violin part and bass that kicked in with an increase in tempo from the drums. The violin quickly seems to act in battle with accompanying sax on the alternating side of the stage, with the vocalist caught in between the two forces and soon caused to eventually fall apart in desperation amongst this impressive combination. The supporting set closed with an indecipherable cover made very much their own. With subtle contributions from each piece of the band, the vocals in particular brought us to a climactic breakdown.
Although humbly nervous before starting their set, Weatherman proved themselves to be a brilliant live experience fully explorative of instrumental and far from a band who simply stick a sax or violin – or both – onto their roster to better their odds of “post-punk” accolades. Instead, their freshness speaks for itself and is rightly something to be excited about coming up in the Scottish scene.
Following this impressive support, Violet Monstera only added to talent, inspired
presence, and personality of the night. With the ying-yang white against black boldness of the dominant bassist and presiding frontwoman’s fits, the first track allowed the vocalist to access something very similar to Meg Remy, as if you had stumbled upon a louder U.S. Girls group in Sneaky’s. Compellingly engaging the audience with evidence that only confirmed the band to be full of vigour. For the second track “Indie Boy,” a smooth bassline was brought against shaken guitar that gave something familiar sounding but somewhat originally stamped with a Violet Monstera character.
From here the set continued comfortably, with “Goodie Bag” extending the band’s
extremely amiable presence across the stage; “You Gotta Respect Yourself!” imploring over advanced guitar brought up in funk notes; the more staccato instrumentals and standout – although this title applied to every track – vocal performance on “Little Sky-Blue”; and funkier bass and guitar arrangements on “Lancaster Nights” and “She’s a Bad Mama Jama.”
For “Ceilings,” the guitarist turns to acoustic means for a change in sound that accessed
a greater crowd involvement encouraged further by a switch of vocals partnered with a measured but impactful drum presence on “Something Like a Movie.”
The easy listening pace welcomely continued for the next three tracks as potent Alicia
Keys vocal highlights, bass playing from within the crowd, and surprise rapping from the drummer meant that you were completely spellbound by this point, and very happy about it. Utilising “Price Tag” as their closer, Violet Monstera solidified the memorability of their performance not only without outstaying their welcome and keeping the audiences full attention throughout, but genuinely making you want to remain under the band’s control for a few more tracks at least.
Yeah, you could have got “Ice, Ice Baby” or an umpteenth Guinness somewhere else
on Cowgate, but instead you got two exceptional Scottish groups that required no luck of the Irish to register a brilliant and strongly enjoyable independent gig with every audience member present.
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