The Twilight Sad @ King Tut's, 23 Dec

Since the arrival of their superb debut in 2007, The Twilight Sad have sometimes found it difficult to replicate the squalling, belligerent melancholy of that record in a live setting. It's an overdriven, swirling, beautiful mess of noise that engineers and the band have occassionally struggled with. Tonight's appearance at King Tut's is a truly overwhelming spectacle. All the pieces fall into place for the Kilsyth quartet, augmented by live keys that add body to the shimmering guitar. Into a set of familiar material are woven a number of newer songs that thankfully never deviate from the high standards the band have already set for themselves. Melodies subtly push their way through the dense noise as the five musicians cast fleeting shadows across the backlit and densely smoked stage. It's an ethereal performance that simulatneously crushes and lulls a capacity crowd, providing the strongest sign yet that this band is going the distance. [Chris Cusack]