Review: Sunday at TRNSMT 2017

Item: Review: Sunday at TRNSMT 2017
Rating: 3
Author: Kirstyn Smith

Kirstyn Smith
10 July 2017

Biffy Clyro / credit: Cameron Brisbane

Blossoms and Biffy complete a solid, if uninspiring final day for TRNSMT

Sunday's line-up at TRNSMT, while solid, is glaring in its absolute lack of diversity across the Main and King Tut's stages (we counted two women and no people of colour). Taking note of this sea of mostly male, mostly white acts is hardly an original act, since we've discussed it at length during our SAY Award chat, but at least this year's winners, Sacred Paws, gave hope to the anti-male, pale, and stale league. TRNSMT on Sunday is somewhat less inspiring.

To add insult to injury, yesterday's glorious sun has buggered right off, and rain is never far from Glasgow Green. Last night's young team has dispersed somewhat, and the general tone is sombre, if zombified. At King Tut's tent, whose lineup has been pretty great throughout the weekend, SAY Award-long listed Vukovi are bringing the early 00s emo noise pop, and frontwoman Janine Shilstone is serving mermaid realness, all blue hair and shimmering green jumpsuit. Shilstone is a great live performer, and doesn't miss a single note throughout, impressive given her propensity to jump the barrier. This act does earn her a plastic crown from a fan and she seems pretty chuffed: 'I've always wanted to be a princess.' The rest of the band are incredibly slick, in particular drummer Colin Irving, who is hard-hitting and inventive, keeping everyone else in line. We just wish their lyrics were as mature as their live chops.

Over on the Main Stage, all-white, flared double denim was a bold choice for Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden, who looks like the missing Bee Gee brother as the group cement this disco aesthetic with a cheeky nod to their ABBA influences during 'Texia', while radio-friendly 'Getaway' draws the crowds from whatever sparse shelter Glasgow Green offers from the elements. Starting sedately, there's a bit of crowd banter as Ogden finds a woman who's just been dumped and dedicates 'My Favourite Room' to her as the crowd boo her ex, Chris. Sorry, pal. Later on, Two Door Cinema Club are among the many to mourn Saturday's sun – 'thank you so much for joining us on this beautiful summer day' - as grey skies loom. TDCC have a formula and they stick to it: indie disco floor fillers with syncopated drums, catchy riffs and very little divergence from the form. Playing 'Undercover Martin' as the second song in their set shows chutzpah that, sadly, isn't backed up – the rest of the set doesn't live up to this ambitious start.

Love or loathe them, The 1975 were always going to liven proceedings up a bit. The band foster a tongue-in-cheek rock'n'roll facade, but of late it's hard to tell how much of their rock star 'credentials' they are actually beginning to buy into. Tonight, for example, Healy looks like Brendon Urie channeling Pete Doherty, but butter wouldn't melt in the likes of 'The Sound' and 'Chocolate'.

It's been interesting to watch the ways TRNSMT's changing lineup can be read by the audience: while Friday's punters were on average 15 years older than Saturday's teenage radges, the crowd today are harder to age, but most have clearly just been hanging around for headliners Biffy Clyro. A day of waiting in the rain yields a rapturous response to their bare-chested appearance as they launch straight into 'Wolves of Winter – typically dramatic; typically raucous. A slew of alt.rock anthems follows: 'Who's Got a Match', 'The Golden Rule', and 'Many of Horror', bolstered by streamers and flames. Like all good festival bands, they give the crowd what they want before finishing with fireworks.

The first TRNSMT feels tentative, as though testing the waters to gauge interest before really going all out. With a second festival already confirmed for next year, it's going to be interesting to see what happens now that expectations are higher in terms of lineup, set-up and weather (two out of three would be fine).

We sent three of our music critics along to TRNSMT to check out Scotland's newest city music festival. Once you've read Sunday's review, check out what we thought of Friday and Saturday.