Porches, the brainchild of New York-based artist Aaron Maine, brought a genre-blending, emotionally charged set to Stereo on a rainy Sunday night in Glasgow. Known for weaving synth-pop sensibilities with grunge textures and angsty lyricism, Porches has carved out a distinctive sonic space over the past decade—and this performance proved exactly why fans keep coming back.

Opening with ‘Rag’, released last year as part of their album Shirt, the tone was immediately set: a collision of raw emotion and grungy soundscapes. Although the show wasn’t sold out, the energy in the room more than made up for it. The crowd, pressed eagerly to the stage, were visibly locked in—heads bopping, eyes fixed. One early highlight was ‘Itch’, a clear favourite with the audience, delivering gritty, synth-laced angst that got everyone moving. This was quickly followed by the faster-tempo ‘Lunch’, which shifted the vibe into a more upbeat, feel-good gear—without losing the emotional core that underpins Porches’ sound.

‘Sally’ stood out as a sonic contradiction in the best way: screechy guitar feedback introduced a track that quickly settled into a shoegazy rhythm with echoing vocals. The grungy breakdown landed heavy, and again the crowd responded with cheers and movement.

Maine’s quirky stage presence added charm throughout—playfully making strange mic noises and repeating “and so… and so… this is nice,” drawing laughter from the crowd. At one point, the room fell so silent in anticipation, Maine’s comment “you could hear a pin drop,” encouraged a burst of laughter. From there, the set deepened emotionally with ‘Rangerover’, its weighty beats, ringing synth and heart-on-sleeve lyrics drawing the audience in. New track ‘Party’, teased as part of the upcoming seventh Porches album, leaned into a pop-punk/emo aesthetic with a repetitive, tension-building chorus. ‘Joker’ followed with a high-energy burst, smoke filling the room and the crowd fully engaged.

Closing on ‘Comedown Song’, Maine leaned into the moody, grunge-tinged guitar lines and brooding vocals. The crowd, buzzing and clearly not ready for it to end, erupted into chants of “one more tune,” banging the floor for an encore.

Returning solo, Maine offered up a tender, stripped-back song “for the lovebirds”—just him and a mournful electric guitar. It was a touching moment of vulnerability. Finally, calling the band back on stage, he invited the crowd to choose the last song. Among scattered shouts, ‘Country’ rang out clearest and closed the night on a perfect, fan-picked note.

It may have been a grey, wet Sunday in Glasgow, but Porches made it feel electric.

Article: Reanne McArthur