Future Islands @ Barrowlands, Glasgow, 27 Apr

Samuel T. Herring secured his legacy with his legendary performance on Letterman back in 2014. Now he has the task of living up to his well-earned reputation as an energetic, enigmatic and deeply emotional frontman. Fortunately for the packed house at the Barrowlands, he does not disappoint.

From the first verse of Inch of Dust, he's gyrating around the stage, throwing fists and signing his name in the air in front of him. The elaborate dance moves are never far behind, with the cossack dance coming out during A Dream of You and Me, followed by some angular body contortions during Balance, Light House, amongst others. It takes only ten minutes for him to be drenched in sweat, but that does nothing to diminish his indefatigable energy.

The crowd respond in turn, hopping and dancing when the song calls for it (which is constantly). Seasons (Waiting on You) brings one of the most emotionally charged moments of the night, as Herring bobs and weaves, stares into space, grabs at invisible threads, thumps out the emotional beats on his chest, all while delivering plaintive lines that ruminate on the nature of change. His intense evocations are mesmerising; we've never seen a crowd so rapt.

The intensity remains through other fan favourites like Tin Man and Spirit, while Vireo's Eye and Fall From Grace bring the evening to a close on a note of poignant emotional resonance. That this review only mentions Future Islands' frontman is not to do a disservice to the rest of the band, all of whom do stellar work laying the canvas upon which the hardest-working-man in synth-rock can paint his masterpiece.

Future Islands make powerful, impressive music but, in a live setting, the magnetic presence of Samuel T. Herring takes all the limelight.