Photo + Words by Olivia Macrae
PASTEL graced the King Tut’s stage with a stirring headline set on Friday 28th February as part of their UK tour. The guitar-driven indie shoegaze five-piece played a stunning selection of tracks from their debut album ‘Souls In Motion’ released on 17th January.
The buzzing Friday night kicked off at 7.45 pm by the rising indie-rock quartet CRUISE BALLOON. The four-piece band is made up of Joe Stronach on lead vocals, Michael McEvinney on lead guitar, bass by Chic McCall and Matt Donaldson on drums. Based in Glasgow, the 4-piece have already released a handful of singles and played gigs in several local venues across the city including headline shows at Broadcast and the Hug & Pint.
Their supporting set at Tut’s included their single ‘Close’ – a catchy guitar-driven track released on 13th December 2024. Make sure to catch Cruise Balloon at their headline show at Mono in Glasgow on 17th April.
Up-and-coming Glasgow band LASTSOBERDAYS continued the evening with their fantastic supporting set at around 8.30 pm. With the release of their debut EP ‘Drunken Crying to Phoebe Bridgers’ which came out on Valentine’s Day, the set included tracks such as ‘Say Something’ and ‘Down’, that carry influences from indie shoegaze and dreampop music genres.
The EP was written from the comforts of their bedrooms, and is channelled by their raw, introspective songwriting and fused by breathtaking guitars and punchy drums. The self-titled track from their EP offers an upbeat indie rhythm, performed live with fierce energy and gripping stage presence that can only be truly captured when seen live.
Alternative indie rockers PASTEL hit the Tut’s stage at 9.30 pm, kicking off strong with ‘Your Day’ from their debut album ‘Souls In Motion’. It was clear to feel the infectious energy from the band from the first few songs on the set, and the sold-out crowd matched the excitement throughout the rest of the night.
The second song on the setlist was ‘Running On Empty’ – a personal favourite from the album that perfectly incapsulates the band’s skill for heavy guitars, extended instrumentals, and powerful vocals from lead singer Jack Yates. Lyricism in this track offers aesthetic imagery “Like a gentle breeze to a weeping tree, pick me apart leaf by leaf” discussing the inner turmoil that comes with unreciprocated feelings whilst also focusing on self-discovery.
The set also featured two covers, ‘Psycho Killer’ by Talking Heads and ‘Fight For Your Right’ by Beastie Boys. This sustained the energy from the crowd and showcased the band’s ability and admiration for indie-rock idols from the 1980s.
Additional tracks included ‘Dancing On A Pin’ around half-way through the set. This track effortlessly captured Pastel’s signature indie-rock sound with addictive drums from Rhys Wheeler and electrifying guitars from James Yates, Liam O’Shea, and Joe Anderson. Another notable mention has to be ‘Deeper Than Holy’, a track that starts with a slow yet gripping build-up toward faster, upbeat catchy lyrics and guitar-driven instrumentals that just hit different when experienced live.
The Manchester-based band PASTEL are set to continue their UK headline tour this month, with remaining shows in Bristol and Birmingham, before wrapping up the tour in London’s Tufnell Park Dome on 8th March. Additional upcoming shows include a supporting slot with Ocean Colour Scene at the Cymru Arena in North Wales on 5th July, as well as their first stadium show supporting Razorlight at the Darlington Arena on 23rd August.
Taped Magazine 