The Snuts – The Usher Hall, Edinburgh

October 17, 2022

THE SNUTS LIVE AT THE USHER HALL EDINBURGH

John Scott goes to see The Snuts live at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Right now, can anything gladden the heart more than the sound of three thousand people chanting DOO-DOO DOO-DOO FUCK THE TORIES!!! over and over and over again? And that’s before the band even hit the stage. Ever have the feeling that you are in for a hell of a night?

The Snuts are from West Lothian, a once thriving industrial heartland, home to mining and car manufacture, where a decent job and most likely a skilled apprenticeship was a guarantee for almost every school leaver. Times have changed; a zero-hours contract in retail and customer service, topped up by Universal Credit is part and parcel of the “modernised” labour market. The dignity of labour is now a byproduct of profit margins, supply and demand. At one point during tonight’s gig, the big screen behind the band informs us that 80% more crimes are recorded in the most income-deprived areas. As a stark reminder of that enduring deprivation, volunteers in the foyer are collecting for the West Lothian food bank and the band is selling signed setlists, all proceeds going to the same cause. Direct action at work, in stark contrast to the empty rhetoric of Trickle Down Lizzie.

Bursting out of West Lothian and ready to take on the world come The Snuts; young, angry, joyous, and brimful of positive energy. This time last year the band were doing support slots and small headlining gigs. This summer saw some serious festival success and now here they are on the cusp of the big time, playing to a packed house of adoring fans who are word-perfect with every line of every lyric and happy to prove it.

The band: Jack Cochrane (vocals and guitar), Joe McGillveray (guitar), Callum Wilson (bass) and Jordan Mackay (drums) kick off with Pigeons In New York from their new album Burn The Empire and barely pause for breath for the next ninety minutes. Burning cars and bleak urban landscapes are screened behind the band as they belt out a selection of songs from both Burn The Empire and debut W.L. It’s hard to pick out highlights when every song goes down a storm but I particularly enjoyed the glitchy beats of Cosmic Electronica and the unexpectedly lovely End Of The Road featuring vocals from support act Heidi Curtis.