Live at Glasgow @ Various Venues, 3 May

The choose-your-own-adventure format of a day-festival like Live at Glasgow presents almost too many options. Having so much on offer can turn a person into a more musically inclined Veruca Salt: I want it all, and I want it now. With gems crammed into almost every venue on Sauchiehall Street, the day demands near-military precision in order to gig hop successfully – and to avoid, quite literally, getting left out in the cold. Yet, the real treasures on a lineup like this are often found when your plans have gone a bit tits up – “Yeah, we’ll stay and have another beer… Hello, what’s this? This is ace,” etc.

With this in mind, honorable mentions must go to the icy, atmospheric vocal loops from Sea Change – a welcome calm in the midst of a manic twelve hours, the rowdy late-night pogoing provided by Spring King and the ever-beautiful harmonies of Glasgow-based three piece C Duncan. Otherwise, here’s how the day shaped up for The Skinny…

Opening the ABC 2 stage, Glaswegian quartet Catholic Action breeze through a skin-tight, self-assured set: proof that hard graft and relentless gigging achieves plentiful rewards. Their tunes don’t stray far from the path, but there’s a spin to them, a knowing wink, adding a satisfying dollop of panache. A gang you wanna keep an eye on, that’s for sure. 

Meanwhile downstairs, in the main belly of the ABC, Honeyblood’s Stina Tweedale and Cat Myers take to the boards in front of a packed-out crowd. After roosting high on the lineup and filling the day’s biggest venue, there are clear expectations of the local favourites. Yet, something is amiss. Their stripped-back set sounds a little hollow, and the two piece look slightly lost in the deep red lights bathing the stage. Mid-way Tweedale gestures to the decks for a bit more volume, and both Bud and Choke come out sounding a whole lot more meaty – but still lacking a bit of their usual grit.

The Thurston Moore Band’s set proves that the legendary Sonic Youth founder, with full and ridiculously talented band in tow, is anything but trading on a name. Performing tracks from last year’s The Best Day (with no Kool Thing in sight), the hour-long set offers a masterclass in how to hold an audience captive. Opening with Forevermore, a track that builds and surges until the brakes release and that layered wall of heavy, heavy sound hits you in the face, it's a proper demonstration of total control and knowing when to lose it. Moore has said that this current line-up is a dream band – featuring Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley and My Bloody Valentine bassist Deb Googe, no less. And honestly, that bass. Germs Burn is salted, spiced and full of spit, and Detonation sounds far more vitriolic and punchy realised live than it does on the record. As a guy in the crowd says, “They’re like, really fuckin’ brilliant...” Experience speaks louder than any number of amps.

Now, obnoxious Danish punks Iceage aren’t for everyone, but the Garage come 9pm is hot, sticky and filled with people ready to sweat. Elias Bender Ronnenfelt, the band’s rakish leader, propels himself from amp to pole to wall and back, screaming into the face of a worshipping crowd with more than a flicker of disdain. The band fly through last year’s hedonistic, faux-sloppy single The Lord’s Favourite, throwing lines like “now is the time I should have whatever I desire” with straight-faced conviction – the crowd respond in kind. You could call it an attitude problem, but as far as most of Garage is concerned, there’s nothing wrong with that.

A triumphant Django Django close out the ABC. With the four-piece almost indistinguishable in a haze of lights and projections, their propulsive, infectious party beats take front of stage. Inciting a storm of arms in the air and, at one point, arses on the floor, the band demand frenzied moves from a crowd that shows no signs of slowing. Championing new album Born Under Saturn, due for release the following day, lead single First Light and the thumping sax-filled floor-filler Reflections fit with ease into a set full of fan favourites, with modern classics like Skies Over Cairo still sounding resoundingly fresh. It's with sore feet, hoarse throats and a broad grin that the venue emptys back out onto Sauchiehall, fired up and ready to continue a party thoroughly started.