I could feel some of us sobering at “She Dropped out of College”, having definitely skipped classes for gigs before, but all was quickly forgotten.īy this point the crowd had thickened up and we were stuck next to the speakers, but the girl behind us drowned it out anyway as Austin Getz finally walked onstage. Leading in with “Trashcan” and “Japan” the visuals took on a whole new significance, blending seamlessly together with the sound and just generally making people laugh at how surreal it all was in central Glasgow. Straight out of the 70s wander Emotional, a collective of musicians from San Francisco with a distinct stage presence. What came next was kind of unexpected, since honestly I hadn’t found time to research the openers and was ready for a few generic songs ending in the classic “thanks for having us”. We’d decided tonight was worth getting front row, so I had a clear view of both the stage and a technician who kept trying to pinch our unfinished drinks. Their lyrics were unfamiliar but warm: soft, romantic synth in tracks like “Moving to LA” prompting a few Spotify follows while the crowd remained relatively sparse and relaxed. It certainly complimented New York’s Palladino, whose cover of “Redbone” washed over us in a sort of haze as the beers kicked in and the audience not-so-subtly waited for Turnover to show up. This isn’t your standard backdrop, since it steals your gaze away from the bands and effectively serves to remove another boundary between audience and performer. That wasn’t what first caught my attention, though, since the basement had been entirely transformed with psychedelic light-show visuals that deserve a special mention. Shocked after finding merch I could actually afford, we headed inside an exceptionally sweaty pit of good vibes, Red Stripe cans and smiling faces. I’d never checked out the venue before but apparently it doubles up as a vegan café, a nice bonus for those who weren’t interested in the opening acts and only joined us in the basement later on. Luckily for me Emily turned out to be awesome company, and I think most would agree that it’s nicer to see a gig with a fellow fan than to go solo. Fast forward to the alleyway housing Stereo, and that one mutual Facebook friend from middle school didn’t feel like much insurance. “Wanted it” is a bit of an understatement a quick glance at the event page revealed more than a few desperate hopefuls begging to catch the Virginia three-piece at one of their final UK stops. I wasn’t opposed to going it alone, but I didn’t want the extra ticket to go to waste if someone else wanted it. This isn’t Turnover’s first stint in the UK by any means, their first visit was 3 years ago, but it’s safe to say that the majority of their support base remain across the pond. I’d forgotten I was going into third year, a dark vista of deadlines and anguish, so honours students won’t be surprised to hear that I struggled to find a concert buddy. I’d been listening to “Peripheral Vision” on repeat for about two weeks, and I figured by the time September 26th rolled around I’d be itching to leave the St Andrews bubble anyway. When tickets to Turnover cropped up on my Facebook newsfeed back in June, I bought a pair without really thinking about it. This particular night, “putting myself out there” meant taking the train to Glasgow to catch a gig with a stranger. You never know what’s around the corner, so always grab life by the horns. It could be anything braving tequila shots after a dodgy night out, giving your ex another chance, getting a tattoo. Sometimes, you just have to put yourself out there.
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