The second-to-last night of King Tut’s Summer Nights brought a bill that refused to sit neatly in one genre. With iwanttobeonTV, Szliszka and Bad Gravy supporting Roller Disco Death Party. I saw the night move through drum and bass, punk, electronic music and alternative rock, building towards what could only be described as a full-blown party. I had never seen any of the acts live before, so I went into the night not really knowing what to expect.

Opening the night were iwanttobeonTV, the duo of Scott Bathgate (Drums) and Maddie Cassidy (Vocals). Describing themselves as sending “a signal from the post-human abyss to the people”, their sound is an energetic collision of drum and bass, rock and punk.

They immediately brought a dancefloor mentality to King Tut’s, bringing people towards the stage early in the night.
Their set was relentless, with Maddie making full use of the stage and constantly engaging with the crowd. Alongside their own material, they threw in a surprising cover of Britney Spears’ Toxic, which fitted perfectly into their chaotic, high-energy sound.

I really enjoyed their set, which was full of bright, colourful lighting and upbeat music. I especially liked Scott’s high-energy drumming paired with Maddie’s physical stage presence.

Next came Szliszka, who shifted the atmosphere. The three-piece kept a deliberately mysterious, DIY aesthetic, with synth-heavy electronic textures, alternative rhythms and guitar-led sounds taking centre stage.

Their performance was less about traditional stage theatrics and more about creating a vibe with the music. The stage was kept in near darkness for much of the set, broken up by flashes of strobe-like lighting and a projector shining on the back wall. I think the lack of visibility encouraged the crowd to let go, with people dancing freely in the darkness.

Then came Bad Gravy, an acid funk band who seem to have created their own universe before even releasing music. Their conspiracy-inspired mythology is matched by an electronic dance-punk sound that is impossible to ignore. Before the gig, I was told that Bad Gravy are not to be missed, and now I see why.

With five members filling the stage, there was no shortage of movement. Every member brought serious stage presence, but the main vocalist was particularly impossible to look away from, at many points diving over to the barriers and directly singing into the crowd.

The energy spread quickly. The room was dancing, jumping and shouting along, remarkably familiar with a band that has yet to release music officially.
Moving to Australia was a particular highlight, and judging by the reaction, I wasn’t the only one who thought so.

With previous appearances at 1990, Nice N Sleazy and King Tut’s, and an upcoming Tenement Trail gig, Bad Gravy look set to keep building their unique gravy empire. After seeing them live, I think I’m officially on the “Gravy Train”.

By the time Roller Disco Death Party took the stage, King Tut’s was packed.

The Glasgow duo of synth player and songwriter Neal McHarg and drummer Amelia Briggs Haldane have built their sound around electronic music made for the dancefloor. Their live show takes that concept and pushes it further. Roller Disco Death Party’s sound sits somewhere between The Chemical Brothers, Justice, Soulwax and Primal Scream. Their music feels rooted in dance music but still has the rawness and attitude of a live band, particularly through Amelia’s live drums.

“Big beat music to sweat to” is an accurate description. From the opening moments, the room was moving. Hands were in the air, people were jumping, and almost nobody seemed interested in standing still.

Amelia and Neal are stationed parallel to each other on the stage, half facing the crowd, half facing each other. Their playing was so energetic that it felt like they were dancing along with the crowd rather than just performing for it.

Keep The Balance was a standout. Driven by deep synth-pop textures and Amelia’s live drumming, the track sent a pulse through the room, with the crowd immediately recognising it and throwing themselves into the rhythm. It captured exactly what Roller Disco Death Party do well.

Just Another Saturday Night was another highlight for me and, it seemed, for much of the crowd. After the gig, they told us the vocals came from a friend who happened to be at a recording session, and the vocals were inspired by a recent night out they all had at The Berkley Suite. That small story gave the track an added sense of Glasgow nightlife tied directly into the music.

After an hour-long headline set, the band returned for an encore, joined by members of Bad Gravy for their own rendition of Blur’s Girls & Boys, which they recently recorded a live video of and released on YouTube. And the party didn’t stop there. Roller Disco Death Party headed downstairs for an afterparty DJ set.

That night, Roller Disco Death Party headlined King Tut’s and hosted a packed-out party.

Article: Samantha McBride