Dutch Wine @ Stereo, Glasgow, 10 Dec
From rogue Santa hats to clarinet soloists, there's lots going on in Stereo's basement. But nothing quite so wild as Dutch Wine's performance to christen their newest EP, As the Sun
You might assume their heartbroken lyrics could turn Stereo just as cold as the rest of Renfield Lane on a Saturday night in mid-December, but Dutch Wine inaugurate their new EP As the Sun with a blazing charm that, by the end of the gig, has audience members peeling off coats, and flinging woolly hats up on stage.
A quartet of cool cats by the name of Junk Pups opens. They’re a sexy, retro funk outfit, with a Psycho Killer cover and originals that delight the early birds. They’re decent players, but a short repertoire of moves limits their stage theatrics to an impeccable fashion sense. Regardless, the band make good on that smooth 70s sound they’re going for.
The crowd is warmed up, but it’s Tina Sandwich’s yuletide fervour that brings listeners in closer. She throws “sweets” (merch) out to all the grabby hands, before shedding her Santa hat and launching into full-force punk-rock. The gimmicks keep coming, with a synth player delivering sound effects for Ms Sandwich to mime along to, between passionate performances of her anti-materialist anthems.
With Stereo's basement now shoulder-to-shoulder packed, Dutch Wine kickstart their set with a full-body performance of EP opener Only One. Guitarist Christopher Devine switches between a pedal-obsessed shoegazer, to an emo-rock dynamo, with leg kicks so high the front row ought to be wearing hard hats.
New Jersey Sound, a release from earlier this year, conjures the beginnings of a mosh pit. Before returning to their new EP, singer Calvin Smith invites a mysterious “Sarah” up from the crowd. Sarah stands front and centre, excited, but nervous. Her backing vocals for Offbeat are, unfortunately, powerless to overcome the band’s intense playing. Whether a favour for a friend or a tribute to a superfan, this short-lived collaboration confuses the crowd’s energy. Hesitations keep rising as Smith invites a “Peter Russell” up for the next track.
Joining forces with a clarinet soloist is daring, but Russell is a demon with the woodwind instrument, and gels amazingly with the band’s sound. The crowd go wild, and Russell triumphantly leaves the band as an energetic three-piece, and the crowd in a crazed mosh pit.
The band makes time for festive antics, having found the Santa hat Tina Sandwich left discarded on the stage. Fans start throwing their winter accessories up for other band members, and Smith gives an off-the-cuff, soulful delivery of White Christmas. The venue is heating up, the outerwear is coming off, just in time for one last tune.
Sustainable wraps up the show in a strobe extravaganza. The audience lose it, and so too do Dutch Wine, judging by the way Devine leaps up on Luc Grindle’s drum kit. It gets physical, it gets loud, and they finish off with a heartfelt, jubilant goodbye. To many, Smith made good on his promise of “The best Christmas night out of your lives”.