Wilson w/ Reigning Days, Donnie Willow and Twin Heart

If you are looking for good time rock and roll, then you can’t get much better than Wilson.  So a Friday night gig in Glasgow playing in what essentially amounts to being a basement seems like a guarantee for a good time.

Before we get there, though, we kick things off with Twin Heart, who play to a decent sized crowd considering they are on just after seven o’clock.  Which can only be a good thing as their ballsy emo is damn good.  They write songs that work their way into your hand during their few minutes running time and by the end of their set you get the impression they’ve made a few more fans.

Up next are Donnie Willow, an alt-rock band who bear a few similarities to fellow Scots Biffy Clyro.  They blend big rock choruses with almost mathcore-esque time signatures, and they hit more than they miss.  The set highlight comes from an unreleased track which they said wouldn’t be out for a while yet, judging by its driving riffs it might be one they want to look at sooner rather than later.

The final band before the main event is Reigning Days whose Muse lite rock and roll goes over big with the crowd.  It is easy to see why as well, there are big choruses and catchy riffs and as the set goes on, they seem to grow into their position.  By the end, every person in attendance is on side, and this will be a band you might be hearing a lot more about in the months to come.

If you are looking for rock and roll, though, then Wilson are the band to provide.  That good time I mentioned back at the start?  It is here in abundance.  Their set mainly focuses on tracks from their new album, Right To Rise and while it’s a shame to not have a bit more Skull Fuckery, that album sounds even better in the live environment.

Tracks like ‘Crave’ and ‘Give ‘Em Hell’ sound big enough to burst out of Broadcast and while this is as lad rock as you can get, that doesn’t matter when the riffs are this good and the choruses this singable.  Lead singer Chad Nicefield emerges with a drum strapped to his chest at one point and leaps into the crowd to be carried around, even swigging from a beer as he surfs above the heads of those in attendance.

Wilson brings the party and sometimes that is all you need.  This is a rock and roll show so bursting with energy that you get the impression it could wonder off by itself and paint the town red.  This may not be the smartest music you will hear this year, but it may well be the most fun.