Neon Waltz / The Tripps @ Nice'n'Sleazy, Glasgow, 4 March

Live Review by Chris McCall | 12 Mar 2015

We once talked about Mod revivals as if the scene occasionally vanished from view, only to return at a later date. But Glasgow has never lost its love of Fred Perry polo shirts and 1960s RnB music, and The Tripps are just the latest group to specialise in fast riffs and feathercuts. They channel their boundless energy best on songs like DB Cooper, which stretch the three minute mark and forge their own identity.

Neon Waltz arrive on stage as the title track of Small Faces classic Ogden's Nut Gone Flake thunders through the room, and it's a useful point of reference for what follows. Keys man Ian McLagan was the backbone of the Faces' sound, and Liam Whittles plays the same role for the six-piece from Caithness. The organ fills in Bare Wood Aisles lift an otherwise gentle lament into something much more satisfying, while the mesmerising Sombre Fayre pushes each member to their limits. It's tempting to label it psychedelic, but there's no hazy jams with Neon Waltz, everything is as clear and sharp as a bright day in Thurso.

They look as if they've been doing this for years; in reality they've released one limited-edition vinyl single. Every song in a 40 minute set sounds like it's either a triumphal album closer or a rousing fans' favourite, all delivered with an understated confidence. Front man Jordan Shearer, with a voice purer than a young Tim Burgess, takes the time to thank everyone for coming on at least three occasions - but everyone present should be thanking him. We've witnessed that incredibly rare thing in music: a new band who have arrived fully-formed, seemingly out of nowhere. 

http://www.neonwaltz.com