Unfortunately, due to prior commitments, I missed the first few bands - including Upstart Heroes and Xavia - but what I did see was truly fantastic…
The OK Social Club
Reminiscent of Babyshambles and The Fratellis, Edinburgh’s The OK Social Club peddle a fun brand of catchy indie rock n’ roll. Powering through an impressive set, including their upcoming single, the four-piece didn’t let up the pace. Despite seeming disappointed at the small crowd in attendance for their early set, the band threw their all into the songs and thoroughly entertained those there to see them.
Turning 13
Turning 13 are well known in Aberdeen for their punky brand of hard rock, and tonight’s performance was no different. Despite being a man down - apparently Nathan MacDonald “changed his phone number, didn’t tell any of us, and forgot about the gig” - the band powered through a great set. Although the vocals started shakily, they soon improved, and proved themselves truly capable of coping without their missing bandmate. Playing fan favourite and past single String She Pulled, the crowd really got into the mood, with one couple even deciding to slowdance!
The Wetflex
With a front man described simply as “very Rik Mayall” by Hercules Moments contributor Emma Wright, The Wetflex are a band who defy description. Influenced by everything from math-rock to indie, their upbeat sound and infectious enthusiasm make them one of the most interesting bands on the Aberdeen music scene. Opening with Rad Man, they captivated the crowd from the off, and later even invited the audience to rename their song Muscle Head. (Incidentally, it was re-monikered Sweetcorn.) Playing new instrumental material, written earlier in the day, the band proved that behind the humorous onstage banter, they are all also superb musicians. Playing a cover of Rebecca Black’s Friday near the end of their set, the crowd went wild, and The Wetflex left the stage triumphant.
Daydream Frenzy
With a sound similar to pop-rockers Fountains of Wayne, local trio Daydream Frenzy upped the ante and provided a real party atmosphere at T Fest. Debuting some brand new tracks - including Over and Jade’s Song - the band overcame some early-set feedback problems to pull a stormer out of the bag. Far outshining their recorded output, tracks like Pretty Girl really stood out in the set which pleased the Aberdeen crowd.
Make This Relate
After playing an instore gig at One Up Records earlier in the day, Glasgow’s Make This Relate took to the stage to perform their own brand of pop-rock with Ian MacLeod of Aspen Tide on bass duties due to their regular four-stringsman being unavailable. Having only two days to learn the material, MacLeod was impressively tight with the rest of the band. Playing new single Sugar Glass, they provoked the first real crowd interaction of the night - a mass clap-along - readying the crowd for the headliners.
Indian Red Lopez
Indian Red Lopez were, without a doubt, the deserving headliners of T Fest. From opener Prometheus to finale Our Empire, their set was electrifying. With sweeping dynamics, the Peterhead five-piece pulled out all the stops to provide an all-encompassing audio-visual experience. Ambient video feeds looped behind them, as Indian Red Lopez stormed their way through a set mainly comprised of tracks from their recent debut album, Empty Your Lungs and Breathe. The thundering My Eyes and guitar-driven The New Black stood out as clear highlights in a set with absolutely no low points. As Indian Red Lopez left the stage, claps and cheers echoed around The Tunnels: the perfect end to a brilliant night of music.
ES
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