Written by Annie Barber
Photo by Celia Croft
Pulling off an entire setlist comprised of only unreleased songs is something few bands can do. Yet, that is exactly what Walt Disco did on their Too Tight tour — and they more than pulled it off. Rounding off the tour with a sold out show at Edinburgh’s Sneaky Pete’s, the Glasgow-based band captivated the audience with their new music, which is showing signs of being their best yet.
Uddingston band Fatale provided the opening set, getting the crowd warmed up with their energetic and rocky performance. The group’s indie-rock sound is the perfect match for Walt Disco, and a particular highlight was their performance of their hedonistic track ‘Another Sunrise’.
In between songs, Fatale’s lead singer, Ben Robertson, praises Scottish music, and rightfully so. The country is home to some of the most exciting bands and artists in music right now, and concert goers at Sneaky Pete’s are lucky enough to hear two of them in the same night.
As Walt Disco take to the stage to a pulsing synth intro, the audience cheers and holds their breath in anticipation of what’s to come. First on the setlist is a track called ‘My Body Knows When To Run’, a new wave style and catchy track that gets the crowd dancing around.
The second song, ‘Lies’, is a soaring anthem that is sure to be a hit when released. ‘Warmface’ is a crowd favourite, with synths, loud drums and lead singer Jocelyn Si’s signature vocal style.
The only released song the band play is their latest single, ‘Coup de Foudre’, which the audience goes wild for. It is a standout moment in the set, with the crowd jumping, dancing, and singing along to the lyrics loudly. The song is just as good live, and it is a credit to each of the band member’s talents that it translates to the stage so well.
‘Total Surprise Machine’ is an uplifting sounding track which is guitar heavy and outrageously good. The final song of the set is ‘Wonderland’, a laidback track that really allows Jocelyn Si’s vocals to take centre stage. It feels fitting when she sings the line “Here comes the start of our lives” as the band embark on this new chapter.
Part way through the show, Jocelyn Si announces that the band’s new album is set for release in October and since they “believe in it so much”, it’s going to be self-titled. The crowd reacts with resounding cheers. I, for one, am not so patiently waiting for the album’s release so that I can listen to the songs again.
While the band’s new music feels like a departure for them, as they step into a new era with EMI North as their record label, it also feels like they are returning to their roots. The songs are synth and guitar heavy, new wave inspired, and as candid as ever.
Leave a Reply