Glaswegian alt-rockers Twin Atlantic have yo-yo’d across the top stages at Reading over the past few years, going from the NME/Radio 1 stage in 2012 to the Main Stage last year, and now back to the NME/Radio 1 stage. With Reading coinciding with the release week of their new album, Great Divide, it’s strange that they've taken a step down this year, but it doesn’t seem to faze them one bit.
Coming on to rapturous applause, the band get right into it with the galloping I Am An Animal. Vocalist/Guitarist Sam McTrusty seems like an unwilling hero, keeping his hood up for the first three songs, but pretty soon he comes out of his shell and his voice is powerful and soaring throughout the set. Chords crash out of Barry McKenna’s guitar and the rhythm section of Ross McNae and Craig Kneale rumbles, accentuating the sound on songs like Fall Into The Party and Yes, I Was Drunk.
Mixing it up between songs from Free — the album that elevated them to the next level —and Great Divide, Twin Atlantic are clearly a favourite of the Reading contingency. Every word is sung back, hands are in the air and the quartet looks amazed at the reaction as they look out from the stage. Classic single Free gets the biggest reception, followed closely by set-closer and new age stadium rock banger Heart and Soul.
Twin Atlantic’s mountainous performance showed that the beast can no longer be confined to a tent. They weren’t to know it at the time, but their album made it to number six in the charts, no mean feat for an alt-rock band on their second album. Within a few years, they could be keeping fellow Scotsmen Biffy Clyro on their toes.
