Panic Shack // THE GARAGE, GLASGOW
PANIC SHACK LIVE AT GLASGOW’S GARAGE
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Amazingly, given how many gigs I’ve been to, this was my first time in the Garage. It’s a venue I was impressed with but it’s the first place I’ve been to that the crowd leaving is held up to allow the band to get to their dressing room!
I didn’t see any support acts there might have been due to other commitments so can’t comment on them.
Panic Shack came onto the stage at 8.30 to a rapturousreception, the crowd were clearly well up for the gig before a note had been played. As I’ve seen Panic Shack before and suspect many of those present also had the anticipation was understandable.
Trying to describe a Panic Shack gig is never easy. It’s a chaotic, wild, intense, funny, musically brilliant, punky, rocky, fierce, 10 legged groove machine of an experience. Before you point it out, I know the front four are the main focus, but the drumming is excellent, even the technical issues on the night didn’t hide that.
This tour is to support the launch of Panic Shack’s self-titleddebut album, a brilliant record which showcases just how talented they are and how wide a range they are capable of.
As is usual with the band there are chaotic moments like oneof the band introducing a song only to realise a different song was about to be played, synchronised dancing broke out on occasion. The wonderful singing and, at times, controlled rage raised the expectation levels of the crowd, and the band were as tight as I think I’ve ever heard them.
They played a mix of older songs, Ju Jitsu You was played quite early which was excellent and the Ick finished the night, but there were also a lot of songs off the new album, and, in a highlight of the evening, they did their own tribute to Ozzy with their cover of War Pigs. This latter song showed just how versatile they are, for a band whose ethos is mostly punk, they could have been a proper metal band, that’s how good it was.
There are two words that sum this show up for me, warmth and joy, the warmth and joy coming from the band who were clearly really enjoying themselves on the stage and the reciprocal warmth and joy in the audience, impromptu mosh pits broke out, two guys near me never stopped jumping up and down from the start to the end of the night, in one case much to the disgust of his sons and everyone left the show with a smile on their face.
The last time I saw Panic Shack in Glasgow was King Tuts, this was at the Garage, it feels like, that on this trajectory that a Barrowlands appearance has to be on the way surely?
If you haven’t seen Panic Shack you really should, they are a brilliant band, with brilliant songs and are a joy to see live. In fact, I’d go as far as to say live music doesn’t get much better than this.
REVIEW BY: IAIN MCCLAY