Van Houten put on a night of shoegaze in Glasgow
The band took to the King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut’s stage.
Photo: Isla Kerr
King Tut’s was host to a night of dreamy shoegaze and haunting psych-pop this past Saturday (13th) as Leeds-based Van Houten — alongside support acts Dallas Love Field and Witching Hour — ran the show. Off the back of their debut album release The Tallest Room just a few weeks ago, Van Houten have toured up and down the UK and are certainly putting themselves on the map.
The aptly named Witching Hour were the first to take the stage and their haunting harmonies were the perfect start to the night. An ethereal yet spooky set with gorgeous vocals from the incredibly talented Eléonore. They are without a doubt one to keep an eye on in the Scottish scene for the months and years to come.
Another Scottish band, by the name of Dallas Love Field, were next. Despite currently having no released songs, they have built themselves quite the reputation among the Glasgow scene and are one of the best shoegaze bands the city has to offer. A strong sense of style and identity is evident in their chilled long tracks and classic shoegaze guitar distortion. It was almost impossible to resist swaying side to side in time with the band and tapping along to each track.
Van Houten have been making music for quite some time now — seven years to be exact. The line-up has had some alterations over the years and only two original band members remain, yet the six-piece work in total harmony. Their genuine friendship with one another is clear in the polished performance they put on and the music they are making. The Tallest Room is a strong debut and consists of tracks that seamlessly blend together to create a moody yet hopeful soundscape. The perfect live record, it is no wonder the band opted to play it in almost its entirety for this gig.
The Leeds band offer personal lyrics that cover a range of subjects from identity, love, mental health and belonging all while maintaining a haunting sound marked by guitar feedback and precision drumming.
The crowd were invested and supportive throughout every track: when Louis explained the effort that had gone into getting their gear on stage that night, due to the new LEZ (Low Emission Zone) restrictions in Glasgow, there was a moment of respect and understanding. Earlier that day, the band had put in an impressive shift to haul their equipment to King Tut’s from their parked van a full ten minutes away. Regulations like these have a massive impact on everyone, in particular bands like this who are consistently on the road playing venues in city centres to get their music heard. They simply cannot afford to fork out for a new electric vehicle just to get to the door of a gig.
Catchy Coming of Age was a hit with the crowd and they could soon be heard singing along. The lead single from the album, it feels almost pop-like when compared to the rest of its tracks and certainly consists of more lyrics.
The shoegaze revival is alive and real with nights like this only adding momentum to its resurgence. Van Houten are forging their path within this genre and are only at the start of their journey. They bring raw emotion and true musical talent that feels not only refreshing but needed.
All images by Isla Kerr.