dwarves

From that moment on you know the evening is going to be a spectacle. Frankly it’s quite a disturbing image, but that’s probably the correct emotion for a Dwarves gig. If they freak you out, rest assured that they don’t care. Twenty years into their career the Illinois punk rock legends show no signs of mellowing, racing through their set at breakneck speed, as the good humoured Glasgow crowd throw themselves around the tight venue. Musically, Dwarves are better than their media image of loud hardcore punks suggests - and the set highlights include fevered versions of ‘You Gotta Burn’ and ‘Fuck ‘Em All’. Frontman Blag Dahlia spends a lot of his time in the audience, frequently throwing himself into the crowd and surfing to the back of the room. He delights in handing excited fans his mic for them to shout along with the songs, even if most of the punters seem to take stage fright. It always feels like something ugly is just about to kick off, but despite a minor skirmish between He Who Cannot Be Named and the front row, it never really does. ‘We Must Have Blood’ segues into ‘Unrepentant’ and the band stride off without an encore. Always leave ‘em wanting more.