Hardcore heavyweights Knocked Loose made their triumphant return to Glasgow, Scotland for the first time in two years with support from Deafheaven and Headbussa.
First up for the night was Headbussa, a band who dub their style as “Paris Fight Music” and let me tell you, they’re not wrong; they took to the stage and wasted absolutely no time blasting the crowd with their brutal brand of European hardcore. Opening with "No Alibi," the energetic frontman did not stop throwing himself all over the stage at SWG3. The energy was clearly infectious as the Glasgow crowd fired back with huge pits, hardcore dancing and crowd surfing from the get go. I don’t think you could have picked a much better opener for a Knocked Loose show; Headbussa had their foot on the gas for the entire 30 minutes they were on stage.
The main support for the night were shoegaze black metal icons Deafheaven. This is a band with such a strong following that even on a show like this, where they are technically the support, there's a visible a sea of Deafheaven merch in the audience and fans going wild. Frontman George Clarke cast an imposing figure on stage with his piercing eyes cutting through the strobe lights and locking in with the passionate fans screaming every word. This was my third time seeing the band and they really don’t disappoint. From the moment they opened with "Brought to the Water," the energy shot to 100 and stayed there throughout their set. Deafheaven are a seasoned band and it shows; they sounded absolutely tight.
US hardcore powerhouses Knocked Loose came into the show in Glasgow with a level of hype not often seen in the alternative scene. The show sold out months in advance and fans were still desperately clambering for tickets even hours before doors opened. You could feel the buzz in the room in the minutes leading up to their set. As the lights dimmed and the band took to the stage there was a rumbling in the air. Bryan Garris conducted the crowd as they broke into "Deep In The Willow," fans almost immediately started flying over the barrier and opening up huge pits. This track went viral and saw a lot of mainstream success in the past year and it was great to finally hear it live. Such a perfect way to open a set, with loads of energy and heavy breakdowns. Guitarist Isaac Hale challenged the Glasgow crowd to take it up a notch as they powered on with banger after banger. This might be one of the most active crowds I have ever seen - just a sea of humanity all night.
Their setlist was packed with fan favourites including "Counting Worms," "God Knows" and "All My Friends." This was my first time seeing Knocked Loose and I can honestly say that I was blown away. Every moment was filled with energy, ebbs and flows, and excellent stage presence. The set flew by and before I knew it Garris announced that they had one last song, the ironically named "Everything is Quiet Now." This brought an end to an incredible set from Knocked Loose. Sometimes you see a band and just know that they are destined for huge things, and this was certainly one of those nights.
