The Gaslight Anthem @ O2 Academy Glasgow, 23 Jun

It's a balmy night in south Glasgow, the kind that conjures up thoughts of dive bars and rock joints - so, the setting for The Gaslight Anthem is damn near perfect.
Twin Atlantic bring us in, encompassing a bit of traditional, hard-worn rock 'n' roll, but ranging wider to post-punk and more commercial emotive rock. And though at times it's hard to follow the thread of their performance, they whip up a good section of the audience, who wait with bated breath for TGA.

Then The Gaslight Anthem take the stage, offering an all-killer, no-filler attack of pulse-pounding anthems off their latest two LPs and minimal banter. The crowd rightfully explodes to American Slang's title track, and the momentum builds right on through, with The 59 Sound and Boxer literally shaking the foundations of the building.
The band takes short diversions to deeper cuts, such as Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, but even then, Brian Fallon and Co know when to hold the note, and with it suspense, for theatrical effect.

Even closing the show with Baba O'Riley (barring the six-song encore) has the right heart. It shows the spirit of their forebears remains dominant in the Gaslight repertoire, but also that creating - and performing - great rock anthems never really goes out of style. [Jason Morton]