The Walkmen graced the stage at SWG3 in Glasgow after a very lengthy, very notable absence from creating and recording music together much to the chagrin of stalwart fans like myself.

You see this band holds a very special place in my heart. Their music still features pretty much on every playlist or back in the day – CD mix that I ever made.

Their back catalogue has a song for every occasion. There was a time in my life when and if “The Rat” came on at the indie disco or after party people would be looking for me to appear and dance about like a malfunctioning robot wailing the words at the top of my lungs.

I’ve seen the band perform countless times – once in full Halloween costume at Stereo mid 2000’s so tonight in every sense feels like a warm welcome back for the quintet hailing from Harlem (by way of Washington DC)

The crowd was a sea of eager faces, a congregation gathered to worship at the altar of raw musical prowess. And my friends, worship we did.

From the very first note, it was evident that this wasn’t going to be just another gig. No, this was a sonic pilgrimage, a journey into the heart of what makes music pulse through our veins.

Hamilton Leithauser‘s voice, a force of nature in its own right, soared and dipped, carving out melodies that etched themselves into the very marrow of our bones. It still amazes me how his vocal range can scale back and drop dramatically.

From a pained angry wail to a soothing lullaby with every note ringing crystal clear.

As the band delved into their repertoire, the audience was treated to a symphony of emotions. The opening track of, “They’re Winning” followed by “Wake Up” started the show on a high note.

However from the very first opening chords of “Little House of Savages” the crowd were bobbing along and lapping up every bar.

After a short reprieve Hamilton announces, “It’s time to rock” before “The Rat” unleashed a maelstrom of unbridled joy that held us in its bittersweet embrace. Each chord progression was a revelation, each drumbeat a heartbeat that resonated with every soul in that room.

Peter Bauer’s mastery of vintage keys added a layer of intrigue to the mix, his fingers dancing across the ivory like a sorcerer conjuring spells. The guitars of Paul Maroon and Walter Martin wove a sonic tapestry that was equal parts gritty and ethereal, a testament to the duality of their musicianship.

But to be honest it’s always been about the rhythm section for me, Matt Barrick‘s drums served as a primal heartbeat, a steady pulse that anchored the melodic whirlwind around it. Every snare hit, every kick drum thud was a punctuation mark in the story The Walkmen were weaving.

“Donde Esta La Playa” and “Canadian Girl” are brimming with ethereal energy while “Angela Surf City” – a personal favourite soared with post punk vigour.

The show ends with a brief encore consisting of, “Inpatient Talent Show” and the first track the band ever recorded, “We’ve Been Had” with its guttural snarl the whole room singing along in chorus.

I left carrying a bundle of merch a deep cut of “Bows & Arrows” that the band have self pressed because FU big labels, laden with bonus tracks and an oversized T – like I said The Walkmen will always hold a special place in my heart.

The band have always flirted with extreme notoriety but instead have kept themselves firmly entrenched in the underground indie scene. But with performances like this it can only herald in a new dawn for The Walkmen at the beginning of their second journey towards greatness.

Words & Pictures: Angela Canavan