Tooth in Glasgow: Everything a rising band should be and more
The London band’s second visit to the Scottish city felt like the beginning of something much bigger.
Photo: Maeve Wong
Following the release of their debut EP, Restless in Bloom, London indie-rock outfit Tooth hit the road for a run of UK dates, stopping off at Glasgow’s Garage Attic Bar for what felt like one of those “I was there first” gigs.
Opening with their arresting debut single Age of Innocence — a song that vocalist and guitarist Tom Pollock has previously described as a sort of epilogue to his adolescence — the band wasted absolutely no time unleashing a volatile energy and sound that felt far bigger than the room containing it. Despite the Attic Bar being as intimate a venue as its name suggests, that didn’t stop the more reckless members of the crowd from climbing onto shoulders almost as soon as the guitars kicked in.
Photo: Lily Doidge
From the outset, it was clear that the quartet have spent the past few years meticulously honing their craft. Their unreleased material continues to build on their signature blend of anthemic US alternative, second-wave emo and garage rock, while their harmonies and arrangements remain lush enough to rival anything in their current discography.
The strongest response, however, was reserved for the songs from their debut EP, which were greeted by nodding heads and enthusiastic cheers throughout the set. Rob Lowe’s well-drilled drumming remained a particular brain-scratch-moment on Schoolyard; the guitar tones on Restless in Bloom sounded even richer and more expansive than on the record, and Pollock’s shout-along vocals revealed a softer side on EP standout Wallflower, which proved just as affecting live. Even when closing number, Medicine, was cut short after a crowd member fainted, the band had already done more than enough to keep the room firmly on side.
With their churning guitars, crashing drums and huge choruses, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Tooth resonate so strongly with late teens and twenty-somethings. Yet beneath those nostalgia-tinged influences lies a level of songwriting maturity and emotional sincerity that gives their music a much broader appeal.
Tooth possess everything a rising band should have and more. Not only do they have shiver-inducing riffs, noisy breakdowns and genuine attentiveness to their audience, but they’re also immensely exciting performers. The result is a whirlwind set that feels over almost as soon as it begins and leaves little doubt that much bigger stages await.