After five years off the road—and a name change that signaled both rebirth and resilience—HARD LIFE (formerly Easy Life) made their long-awaited return to Glasgow’s SWG3 on Tuesday night. The Leicester collective walked onstage to the sound of bagpipes, a perfectly tongue-in-cheek nod to their Scottish audience, and from that moment on, the room pulsed with anticipation.

Their set was an energetic fusion of hip-hop, soul, indie pop, and jazz—genres the band has always blended with enviable ease. HARD LIFE wasted no time reclaiming their place as one of the UK’s most compelling live acts, running through crowd-favorite cuts like “SKELETONS,” “PEANUT BUTTER,” “PETTY CRIME,” and “BEESWAX” with renewed swagger. Each track hit with the same offbeat charm and melodic warmth that defined their earlier sound, but there was a sharper edge this time—a confidence born from survival.

Halfway through the night, the band leaned into local spirit with a raucous, affectionate cover of The Proclaimers’ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles),” a moment that sent the crowd into full voice and sealed the connection between band and audience.

HARD LIFE’s stage presence remains effortlessly cool—easygoing but magnetic. There’s a sense of good-natured defiance in the air; a band that’s been through it, standing taller than ever. Judging by the grins and singalongs echoing through SWG3, Glasgow was more than happy to welcome them back.

Article: Rose McEnroe