Deathcats @ Stereo, Glasgow, 5 December

This might not be Deathcats’ last ever show. It’s not even their final gig of the year. But it has the feeling of a farewell party all the same; people are having a good time, but there’s a slightly sad edge to proceedings, a tacit acknowledgement that an era, no matter how short, is coming to an end. The fuzz pop trio from Cumbernauld are going on indefinite hiatus, and tonight has been billed as a chance to say goodbye.

The group might never have troubled the headline bookers at major festivals or found themselves packing out arenas, but they’ve created their own niche in Scotland’s live scene over the last couple of years through a mixture of hard work and streetsmart attitude. Incessant gigging can only ever get you so far – what has really pushed them up the ladder is a solid debut album, All Hail Deathcats, and a likeable frontman in James McGarragle.

“Are youse all McGarragle’s pals?” asks Martyn Kellighan of fellow Fuzzkill Records residents Secret Motorbikes, following on from throwback garage rock brethren Pinact and The Rockalls as tonight’s main support act. You can tell many of them are. The Glasgow outfit prefer a more psychedelic approach than Deathcats, but the buzzsaw guitars and sharp turns are all present, which keeps most of the crowd satisfied.

The jagged pop hooks of Solid kicks off Deathcats’ own set, an upbeat number given weight by its sombre lyric. All the highlights of their debut album are present; DREAMZ, Melted, Jaguar – as well as contributions to their recent split EP with Ottawa's New Swears. The group provide the required level of excitement – a moshpit dutifully breaks out – but the finality of the occasion hangs in the air. “Hopefully we’ll always be a fiver at the door band. I don’t want it to be £15 – fuck that shit,” McGarragle told The Skinny earlier this year. If this really is the end for Deathcats, he’ll get his wish.