There are bands that tour constantly, and then theres Clutch - a group that treats every live show as a reaffirmation of why rock music still matters.
Read MoreAnticipation was high at the SWG3 for not just for a rock show, but for a journey back to the height of 2000s gothic pop-rock. Finnish veterans The Rasmus, fronted by the legendary, feather-haired Lauri Ylonen, arrived in Glasgow as part of their Weirdo Tour 25, ready to prove that their long lasting appeal is more than just nostalgia.
The band started the evening with their hard-hitting recent track, "Rest In Pieces" from their latest album, which showcased what was to be expected from the show, a modern energy and tight chemistry of the performers. Ylonen, moving with the swank of a seasoned frontman, commanded the stage, his voice cutting through the heavy riffs and the audience drinking it all in, the adrenaline was all there to see.
The setlist mostly contained of songs from their breakthrough album "Dead Letters" as well as tracks from their recent album. "Guilty", "First Day of My Life", "F-F-F-Falling", "Time To Burn" and "Still Standing." turned the crowd into a collective choir, their voices echoing the sentimentality of the early 2000s. Songs like "Creatures Of Chaos", "Break These Chains", "Banksy" and "Weirdo" gave the audience a taster of their new material.
Of course, no Rasmus show would be complete without the song that defined a generation, when "In The Shadows" dropped, the venue erupted. It was a moment of pure ecstasy - a thousand voices singing every word of the existential anthem. It was a reminder that, two decades later, the emotional core of their music remains devastatingly relevant today.
The encore, closing with an acoustic version of "Sail Away", then going back to the more infectious, sinister energy of another new track "Love Is A Bitch," sealed it all off.
The Rasmus are not merely trading on past glories, they are leveraging them to fuel a new era of their journey. In the sweaty confines of the SWG3, they delivered a masterful performance that was both a celebration of their defining work and an exciting glimpse into their continued evolution.
The black feathers may be a little older, but the fire is very much still burning.
A live photo gallery can be found here.
Review and photography by Stewart Fullerton.
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