GIG REVIEW: 100 Gecs Transform Glasgow’s SWG3 Into a Thrashing Hyper-Pop Dungeon.

Originally intended for February 13th, the 100 Gecs show in Glasgow has been long-awaited by enthusiasts of the ambitious American experimental duo: Laura Les and Dylan Brady. Defining this group is not simple and seeing them live does not make this any clearer either, this is the attraction of this enigmatic band.

5th of September reaches after months of dragging wait-time, the cold concrete carcass of SWG3 Studio Warehouse – located in Glasgow’s trendy West End – filled with already pumping fans. The crowd dressed in a whole range of attire reflect exactly the music of 100 Gecs. Eclectic, unconventional and certainly quirky. The stage too reflects the mystery surrounding ‘gecs’ -a name given to them endearingly by fans- as it is strikingly bare and covered in a thick layer of neon smoke.

Seconds after 9 pm, the stage is lit-up as two equally lanky, bleach blondes ascend onto the warehouse stage to the backing of an industrial rock-inspired track with screeching distorted vocals, titled “Hey Big Man”. This new track off the upcoming sophomore album “10000 gecs” has the crowd throwing itself around already without even knowing the words. There is no time to settle as Les spits the opening words of “stupid horse” onto the front row. A notable song from the group, the crowd turns into more of a joyful mob as gambling is critiqued over blown-out guitar riffs and exaggerated auto-tune singing.

Les and Brady dance between blinding lights, rarely being seen between flashes. Picture Source - Sam Flynn

Minutes of blazing lights and ecstatic screeching of lyrics continue until the duo takes to a xylophone set placed precariously at the stage’s edge. “Gamelan Interlude” starts off tuneful and classical in contrast to the previous tracks blasted out of the venue's speakers. Both Laura and Dylan take turns hitting the xylophone in a timely manner, what starts out as a well-organised affair mutates into a clanging collection of sound waves. The duo is further encouraged by chants from the newly formed mob as the brief instrumental break comes to an end with the deconstruction of the instrument.

“Gamelan Interlude” concludes with the untimely destruction of a xylophone set. Picture Source - Sam Flynn)

New songs are laced between die-hard fan favourites such as, “hand crushed by a mallet” and “money machine”. Bass-boosted beats melt into each other softly contrasting with the harsh, almost screamo metal aesthetic of the set-list. The soft opening lyrics of the final song, “800db cloud”, float into the humid air as Les shyly sings: “He said, ‘I love you’ on the plane, I said, ‘I love you too.’” Don’t be fooled, this isn’t finally a sweet and conventional pop song from ‘gecs’. Strong electronic guitar chords and crashing pitched-up percussion indicate the chaos entering as Dylan and Laura combine to carol about various debaucherous activities whilst thumping around the stage to increasingly flash-blindness-inducing lights. The final song drones on into a heavy metal style instrumental with desperate, deeply pitched screams waving the mob -now returning back to a crowd - goodbye. The perfect peculiar close to a 100 Gecs show. But it wasn’t the real closing.

Laura Les dominates the unreleased track, “hollywood baby”. Picture Source – Sam Flynn

Glasgow fans weren’t happy with this ending to the energetic last hour and a half and use the classic mantra: “One more tune, one more tune!”. The hyper-pop pilots are elated to return for a short encore and close the set with exactly what you wouldn’t expect… a Christmas song. The jingle bells carry the villain supporting, “sympathy 4 the grinch” all the way until the child-like end. Fans are now left satisfied chanting: “La-la-la-la-la” up into the metal pipework and brick walls of SWG3.

★★★★★- 100 Gecs are definitely not the music for everyone but the unorthodox, almost ironic approach to music is fun and invigorating. A band of the future, we should all start listening to their distinct heavily auto-tuned screeching and not take ourselves too seriously.

100 Gecs live are a minute flicker of excitement in a constantly conventional and repetitive musical world.