Glaswegian quartet, The Vignettes, took The Old Hairdressers by storm at their “Subway Romance” single launch. Supported by other up and coming locals, Yung KP and Quiche, the group delivered a performance not to be quickly forgotten.
Their zealous energy was reciprocated by the crowd as soon as the band began their set. With a crowd that was quite obviously ‘merry’, yet not overindulged, it was apparent this was going to be a good night from the outset. Being newly introduced to the band, I was raring to see what they were all about, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. They were genuinely incomparable to anything I’ve seen before. They performed with such an energy and genuine passion for what they were doing – it was one that you would most certainly associate with ‘the greats’.
Frontman Hamish Swanson wasn’t anything short of comparable to folklore of rock that we know and love – except he was all the best bits stitched together. With a deep, yet highly energetic voice similar to that of Ian Curtis’s, the stage presence of Bowie, and an undeniably great sense of style (rocking an envious bucolic floral shirt), he knew fine well how to engrave himself into the minds of his audience, ensuring they stayed firmly ingrained into your memory.
The four-piece were polished professionals who traded their fast fire tracks to a standard of precision that should’ve been hard to retain in their highly energetic and interactive set. That may well be the reason their gig was so enjoyable – the boys, between every song, if not every second, interacted with their crowd – making jokes, giving little anecdotes and even a little comradery about Innes’s new guitar, before jumping back into their high-octane set.
Above all analysis of their style, their stage presence, and even their talent; the overriding sensation of the entire night was that this band were having real fun on stage, and that, in itself is a rarity. Whilst their set could not be flawed, it was clear to see that they weren’t all too fussed about flawlessness in their act, rather, it came quite naturally. Even if it didn’t, the crowd would have been none-the-wiser with their daft dance moves and Cheshire grins that beamed from start to finish.
They are clearly not afraid to go out with the realms of your standard indie rock band. There’s a true authenticity with The Vignettes and the boys even managed to incorporate a cow-bell into their set – how brilliant? Such said is a skill that could not be easily followed by many.
The Vignettes are most definitely few and far between and I wouldn’t expect them to be disappearing any time soon.
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By Emma Malcolmson
