Written by Emma Edwards.
Photo by Rosie Sco.
Lacuna close the year by headlining King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, a fitting setting for a band rooted in Glasgow and shaped by a clear sense of place. The band steps onstage looking characteristically ethereal, but the set that follows is deliberate and grounded.
Lacuna’s recorded material only hints at their live potential. On stage, the songs are given space to expand and breathe, their impact driven by control and intensity. There is a sense of homecoming built into the performance, reflecting the depth of the talent that Glasgow rears.
They open with ‘Nest’, the lead single from their new EP of the same name. The track establishes that Lacuna’s collaborative approach to songwriting is the impetus to their success. Each member shapes the emotional direction of their music; their lush soundscapes gradually unfold and the band reveals themselves as masters of both detail and restraint.
The audience is immediately enamoured by ‘Saint Bernadette’, crashing and swaying as the harmonies and repeated “I’ve waited” refrain builds quiet urgency. The tension rises towards a screaming crescendo before collapsing back into itself, demonstrating the band’s command of dynamics. ‘What If I Told You I’d Been Lying the Whole Time’, the title track from their May EP, brings airy vocals and a sense of suspended time, while ‘Red Thread’ continues the string of careful, emotive construction.
‘Auloniad’, my most streamed track of 2025, lands with particular weight. A personal highlight and a clear audience favourite, its familiarity lends warmth without dulling its impact. Next, the band introduces a new song; “Any lovers in the room?” they ask, before dedicating it to Will, the bassist. As the bassline pops with playful insistence, Emily teases the crowd with a knowing “I think you know what’s coming” before a convincing fake-out ending draws laughter and applause from the crowd.
‘Sister Sister’ unfolds gently; as Emily reflects fondly on childhood memories, the song’s tenderness feels unguarded. After the second verse, Amy’s saxophone enters and the track grows in scale. Themes of family and home run consistently through Lacuna’s work and here they are rendered with clarity and care.
‘Magpie’, which has lived in my head rent free since Lacuna’s last Tut’s appearance in January, finally arrives. It stands out as a centrepiece of the ‘Nest’ EP and its live rendition justifies the wait. ‘Sinking Woman’ returns to questions of home and departure.
Emily giggles her way into ‘Mazza Mary’, briefly breaking the spell before ‘The Big Bear’ reasserts it. A slow burn on record, the song hits harder live, driven by Sean Choon’s exceptional drumming. He was at the top of his game all night.
What is a Lacuna gig without a euphoric ‘Shelley’ encore. It is a playful, loose and deeply enjoyable live experience as Amy, Liv and Emily perform with eurythmy. Live, it is always a collective act of release.
As Lacuna moves on from Crowded Flat and into a new phase of independence in the new year, this performance confirms their momentum. Live, they are magical, not through spectacle, but precision, trust and a shared, ever evolving emotional language.
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