Twenty minutes after doors opener, the Filipino Eyedress has already started their set and their psychedelic electro tunes and flashing lights transform The Arches into an underground party, but sadly it is still quite empty in the early stages of the night.
Also, the two members of Eyedress are quite invisible on the stage, there are no lights directly on them and talk much is kept to a minimum, a lot of those turning up don’t even notice the gig has started.
This is a shame as their music is interesting and very original, although some influence from Canadian electro noise merchants Crystal Castles is definitely audible.
Still, Eyedress could well be on their way to be quite successful, especially if ‘Nature Trips’ is anything to go by, which sounds great live.
Australian Oliver Hugh Perry, aka D.D Dumbo, is up next and you’d be forgiven for thinking this is much more than a solo act from hearing him on record.
Tonight he works his way through the instruments; drums, guitar, occasional woodwind and vocals using loop pedals.
The recordings really don’t do his live set justice, as it is truly fascinating to watch him perform, to see how he creates loop by loop those reverb dripping, simple but interesting music.
D.D Dumbo’s music is laid-back, yet upbeat and there’s a strong influence of traditional Eastern and African styling as he takes the audience back to the summery beaches and festivals.
Perry doesn’t interact much either, but he doesn’t really have to, the audience is hooked, he’s confident but easy going and happy.
There’s cheering and massive applauses after each song as The Arches fills up, and his most well known song ‘Tropical Oceans’ goes down wonderfully.
Perry seems surprised and happy that so many people have come along early and if his set hadn’t made you dance yet his last song surely will.
As he ends his set the audience cheering wildly and I overhear a guy standing next to me saying to his mate “man, he was stunning!”
D.D Dumbo is definitely an artist that world will hear more from in the near future.
The London based headliners, Jungle create excitement among the audience even before they start, people are buzzing and the atmosphere is building.
They finally start with howling sound of sirens as the band arrives accompanied with a deafening mix of cheering and whistling, before ‘The Heat’ immediately sets the crowd dancing and singing-along, and by the end there isn’t an audience member who’s not dancing.
If D.D Dumbo didn’t take the audience back to the warm sunny days of summer Jungle’s modern 70s funk influenced sound surely does.
The band’s 70s influence is audible in vocals, beats and melodies but also noticeable in the lightning and backing vocalists’ choreographies.
Their stage set up includes two pairs of drum kits, African influenced instruments and glass bottles that bring the jungle to Jungle’s music as all the band members dance around, seeming to be having fun performing.
The atmosphere couldn’t be happier; there are wide smiles on everyone’s faces, Jungle’s music is simply supposed to be performed live.
They also seems happily surprised that the gig is sold out, The Arches is really packed and the band keep thanking people for coming along, telling how awesome people in Glasgow are.
They finish the gig with the well known ‘Busy Ernin’ but after audience’s wild cheering they return to play ‘Time’, which makes audience go even crazier.
Exiting from The Arches to windy autumnal Glasgow is a shock as for last a few hours we’ve been taken back to the sweet warm summer.
Words: Iida Aino
Rave Child 