Indigo Velvet @ The Hug & Pint, Glasgow, 5 Nov
The nights may be growing darker, but inside The Hug & Pint there's a jubilant vibe in the air. Edinburgh four-piece Indigo Velvet are bouncing through Easy Love, a gorgeous indie-pop mosaic of warming harmonies, slinking bass and beautiful washes of guitar. November has arrived and tonight the temperature is plummeting, but you wouldn't know it – we're positively basking in Indigo Velvet's tropical glow.
The colourful quartet have a sold-out show on their hands, though some of the crowd has dissipated following support slots from Chris Greig and Delphi. No bother – the extra space means there's room to huddle in closer to the remedying tonic of Indigo Velvet's calypso-tinged tunes. Reaching for a brew, guitarist and lead vocalist Darren Barclay explains with a laugh, "I put myself on a curfew! No drinks until after the fourth song."
A young band that look like they're genuinely having a ball onstage, they've also got that preternatural knack for engaging their audience; later on, Barclay hawks the band's merch like a champion (and with much laughter ensuing), making you wonder if he's missed his calling as a salesman. They're yet to release an LP, or even an EP, but Indigo Velvet have a wealth of high-quality singles to draw on, as well as a musical finesse that's clearly been honed through high-profile slots at the likes of T In The Park. Towards the end of the show, new single Sunrise boasts huge, resounding drums and pitch perfect vocals, with more grit live than the recording suggests.
With the bass up front in the mix, the lads put on a radiant yet gutsy set of solid grooves, spiced up with a touch of guitar swagger. A buoyant performance that puts movement in your feet and a grin on your face, a happy crowd leaves tonight with no doubt that Indigo Velvet are destined for bigger and better things.