Glasvegas, Live @ The Troubadour, Los Angeles 06/08/11

What does does a consciously ambitious band sound like? A possible answer is Glasvegas. We’re not saying that’s a good or bad thing (for them) but we are saying that few things felt more clear Wednesday night at the Troubadour.

Before a sold out crowd of radio rock fans, the band took to the stage sporting all-black threads with their leader James Allen in clean white flanked by a flowing neon orange microphone cable. The set, opened with “The World Is Yours” from their new Euphoric Heartbreak LP, and the band came to life. Glasvegas soared through the eastern-tinged, explorative track, sonically impressive with its lush guitars, thumping bass, and synth flourishes. Allen’s vocals lifted out over the mix in Bono-like fashion. Am I really at a Glasvegas show?

There was an energy at the Troubadour and fans felt privy to something special, but little did they know, Glasvegas had fired many of its more impressive musicals bullets. What remained of the newer material seemed long on epic-ness and ambition-ness but short on songwriting, execution, and performance, delivering at least as many self-indulgent moments as memorable ones.

Allen bestowed a usual confidence, taking off his jacket, swigging beer and sneering at times into the microphone. His Scottish accent flowed forth proudly, making for interesting context to the experience. In general, it seems obvious that Glasvegas, at least right now, aren’t interested in writing the legacy pop songs hinted at by their critically acclaimed self-titled 2008 debut, rather they seem in favor of a more mature, poetic, festival, ‘cult-following’ career approach.

Still, The Troubadour’s sold-out crowd took note. Experiencing the set at full sprint. Radio friendly “Geraldine” and encore closer “Daddy’s Gone” were the most harmonious tracks of the evening. Also… of course, its always worth noting we dig the inaudible, and in this case, Scottish-accented bantering throughout the set! In fact that is one of the main reason’s to love watching anglo-centric rock and roll live, init?

Glasvegas : (Official)

Rating: 8.2

Reviewed by b3