Man/Woman/Chainsaw sell out King Tuts on their third time playing
The excitable chatter of art school students and ‘6 Music’ dads alike filled King Tuts to the brim last Friday night, only ending as 50 Cent’s In da Club blasted through the speakers and the six piece band hopped on out to raucous cheers. Man/Woman/Chainsaw opened with Only Girl, a single off of their 2026 album Cannonball, and the dancing of the crowd followed immediately. I noticed right off the bat that there was a surprising range of ages, from some lovely middle aged women standing singing their hearts out next to me, to groups of guys in their twenties dancing outrageously just in front of them. Everyone was getting lost in the music, rarely getting their phones out to film and running over to the bar to get a quick pint before they missed too much.
As they worked their way through their new album and older EPs their sound firmly cemented itself in the art rock realm. They seem to me to sonically be a love child of Black Country New Road and The Last Dinner Party, with a similar number of members. Having more than the typical amount of musicians in the band aids their controlled chaos and confidence, with some of them head banging, others chatting to the audience and all of them putting on a great show. Comparing up and coming bands to established ones does not always feel fair when they are becoming known in their own right, especially with Man/Woman/Chainsaw being named ‘one to watch’ by The Guardian in 2024, but if you are a fan of either these bands this is a chance to find some new music that might scratch the art rock itch.
The gig closed out with one of the vocalists and bass guitarist Vera Leppänen telling the audience “If you don’t dance I’ll be very upset.” They then sprung into their most popular song Nosedive, met with screams of excitement and the audience singing along to every word as she swung a miniature chainsaw bubble machine over her head. The song ended with their repeated lyric ‘baby get me back over you’, with the crowd having an unwavering enthusiasm, their singing getting louder and dance moves more expressive until the song ended to whoops and applause. Leaving everyone, including myself, wishing that their set could have lasted more than an hour.
I was loitering outside the venue after the gig ended and got to overhear some very jolly older men talk about how this gig was just what they needed and they were ‘glad [they] came to this instead of sitting in that bar listening to sixties music.’ Although hearing them say it was ‘absolutely brilliant’ and ‘so complex’ over and over to each other in different iterations did make me giggle a little to myself, I can’t help but agree. I enjoyed their new album on my first listen, but watching them perform it live really made me fall in love with it. Their range of voices and harmonies, the combination of the violin on their more melodic verses, and the heaviness of other parts was so expertly achieved I was just finding new ways to scribble down how impressively done it was in my notebook, just like those older men outside.
I also got to be outside long enough to meet the band’s guitarist Billy Doyle briefly. There was just enough time for him to say how great the crowd was, how much the band loves playing in Glasgow and that he hoped I enjoyed the gig. I got to walk home content in discovering a new favourite band and knowing that everyone in the room, whether on stage or off, had a genuinely wonderful night. The spirit of live music in Glasgow is unlike anywhere else. There is such a commitment to having fun and being grateful that you are there and you get to listen to a band you love live. Venues like King Tuts provide an intimate way to see the next big act, dance around and maybe buy some merch in the heart of Glasgow. Even though this was the band’s third time playing this venue, I can say with confidence that the next time they’ll be in Glasgow it’ll be somewhere bigger and everyone should try and go along.
Image Credit: Harper Cawley
