Home > Reviews > Live Reviews > 09/06/2016 | Adam Holmes and the Embers – CCA, Glasgow

09/06/2016 | Adam Holmes and the Embers – CCA, Glasgow

Kimberley Manderson

Triangle

As far as gigs go, this was something of a new experience. Seats – much like school assembly chairs – lined the theatre room in Glasgow’s CCA on an unexpectedly warm evening for Adam Holmes and the Embers. A mostly mature crowd filled the CCA, with no mention of selfies or snaps, and no intention of standing up at all throughout the gig. Although with no air circulating in the venue, the whole sitting down idea was probably for the best.

Adam Holmes and the Embers were in town for the launch of their second album, Brighter Still. Judging from the songs played, it’s a slightly more upbeat affair than its sombre predecessor. New single People Come, People Go was coincidentally the most stand-out song of the evening, sounding like a modern-day Scottish Paul Simon track. Both upbeat in terms of tempo and general message, it brought about a light mood to the evening.

Shining Star is again a positive track with elements of David Gray wedged into the folky sound, with a piano driven track that you can feel your head start to sway to. By the end of the song I’d felt I’d heard the tune all my life.

A more soulful track, the aptly named One Soul sounds like Paolo Nutini met John Mayer and made a music baby. A very American, almost gospel-tinged, soul track, it’s an easy-like-Sunday-morning song that Holmes made look effortless on stage.

The only point at which anyone stood up was post-encore, as part-standing ovation, part trying to leave and get back into the fresh air. A great band with what seems to be a promising new album just released, Adam Holmes and the Embers are a treat to see live – if you’re prepared to give up standing up and impromptu photo-taking.

www.adamholmesandtheembers.com