Gig review: The Vaccines, Glasgow

AS A key venue for Celtic Connections, the Fruitmarket is no stranger to raucous proceedings, though it hasn’t hosted an indie stampede such as this for quite some time.

The Vaccines are sticking to a triedandtested formula and show an assured authority these days. Picture: Greg Macvean

The Vaccines

Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow

***

London quartet The Vaccines were the new indie kids on the block about five years ago but, despite simply recycling the tried-and-tested guitar band formula for a new generation, they have yet to be usurped by any younger bucks and return with a certain assured authority in place of the puppyish exuberance of old.

Frontman Justin Young struck rock-star poses with alacrity during Teenage Icon and Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra), two of their most ebullient headlong charges, and the cartoony rockabilly rumble of Ghost Town. His voice was somewhat swamped in the mix but the crowd took charge of the tunes without prompting.

Unfamiliar material from forthcoming album English Graffiti was sparingly introduced, starting with Dream Lover, a track with the heft but not the swagger of Arctic Monkeys.

The Vaccines are happy to crib from all over the place. Their roll call of classic indie references from The Clash to The Cure might explain the wide constituency of fans they attracted.

Some guy had a message for some girl in the audience which was to be conveyed by the stirring rootsy soul of Wetsuit. “I hope you guys are leaving together after that,” commented Young.

Presumably it struck a chord which the breathy Post Break-Up Sex or the virally catchy If You Wanna could not.