Flat Worms @ Broadcast, Glasgow, 15 Oct

Although Flat Worms are a touch flat in stage presence, there’s no denying this promising three-piece bring a ferocity to their playing that leaves many of their post-punk peers in the shade

Live Review by Claire Francis | 18 Oct 2017

Firstly, big up to any bands that can draw a decent crowd for a late-night Sunday gig. Support act Slime City label themselves as "a new wave noisy existentialist guitar pop band" and probe this experiential quandary with tracks like If I Eat Myself Will I Double in Size or Disappear Completely. But in Broadcast’s small space their racket – and frontman’s shrieky vocals – are coming off about as existential as Panic! At The Disco. 

Not that Slime City’s audience seem to mind. As they introduce the song Banking by waxing lyrical about their cash flow problems, a crowd member promptly thrusts 20 quid in our frontman’s hand – hey, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. The group also admit to stealing Banking’s riff from the upcoming headline act, so at least they’re honest.

Flat Worms emerge and launch into Motorbike, the opening track from their upcoming self-titled debut album. The Castle Face Records trio is made up of former players with the likes of Ty Segall, Kevin Morby, and Dream Boys, so they certainly know their way around their instruments: drummer Justin Sullivan’s timekeeping in particular is the linchpin driving the group’s frenetic pace.

11816 is a highlight, eschewing lyrical complexity in favour of dirty, feedback-laced riffing, as is the aptly-titled Accelerated. They save their trump card Red Hot Sand for last, but dutifully reappear (after an obligatory two-second stage exit) for an energetic encore. They’re a touch flat in stage presence, and their material is largely one-dimensional, but there’s no denying this promising three-piece bring a ferocity to their playing that leaves many of their post-punk peers in the shade.

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