More than just cowbells.
In a city they profess to love and one that certainly loves them back, The Rapture were onto a winner in Glasgow, even allowing for a miserable Sunday evening and a venue that has a massive ceiling, just the thing for losing the sound from band to crowd.
There are a lot of dynamics and variety in a Rapture gig. With the vocals being split between Luke Jenner and Matt Safer and the multi-instrumentalism of Gabriel Andruzzi, any criticism of a about a lack of invention can be discounted. The band, along with DFA producers, were at the forefront of the cowbell sound with their first album 'Echoes' but their recent album has showcased a broader sound and the live set benefits from the variety compared to previous tours, although the set did have some moments that seemed to crop up a few times.
And not that the use of the cowbell has diminished in anyway, but then again, we wouldn't want it any other way.
Considering 'The Sound' has a line of "have you ever thought about writing in Scotland?"it was a no-brainer to be a crowd pleaser but the song has so much more to it. Its one of the more powerful and energetic songs in the bands repertoire, almost carrying an amphetamine and nervous edge to its flow and passion. And it worked its magic with the crowd seemingly loosening up a bit as some outbreaks of dancing were spotted, although a sighting of some jiving still remains unconfirmed.
And it wasn't left to the new tracks, with 'House of Jealous Lovers' reminding the crowd of one of the reasons everyone fell for the band years ago, the high pitched yelps battling for recognition alongside the bass runs and percussion claps.
The use of the saxophone adds another dimension to the tracks and it's the unconventional moments that The Rapture excel in, perhaps too many moments appear to be led from the bass prowling but when they stretch out a bit, they prove themselves to be a rather capable outfit.
Recent single 'Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh-Huh' makes a rather good complaint about those who seem too cool for school and prefer to pose than party, and that criticism may be labeled at portions of the crowd but all in all, as the set wore on, the crowd got more involved resulting in a show that was great, although perhaps falling short of the carnage and enthusiasm that has been bestowed on the bands previous visits. That's probably more down to the circumstances of the show as opposed to the venue as once again, The Rapture came up trumps in providing non-stop dance entertainment.