Pinc Wafer, Bandit Country and Wine Moms, King Tut’s, Glasgow ****

The first weekend of January: a time of rail strikes, empty wallets, lingering festive hangovers, New Year’s resolutions hanging by a thread and tumbleweed on the streets of Glasgow.

Inside King Tut’s, however, it was a different story as their bi-annual season of new band bills revved into action. The January edition goes by the rousing moniker New Year’s Revolution. Clearly, Saturday night’s all right for rocking as a trio of hungry young groups celebrated 2023 not with a whimper but with a bang, born ready (during lockdown) to own the stage of this legendary venue.

The brilliantly named Wine Moms are a teen noise five-piece, inspired by second and third generation punk trailblazers such as Nirvana and Idles but even drawing on the Motorhead/Aerosmith invocation to Eat the Rich on their laser-focused debut Bezos with a Side of Fries.

Their punky basslines and heavy grunge rock are old school, delivered with the cool assurance of the new kid in town. Going by the crowd reaction, everyone wanted to be, or already is their friend.

Lanarkshire five-piece Bandit Country also formed in 2021 with a hefty post-punk-influenced sound. In a short, impactful set, the sinewy bass, gothic guitars and declamatory semi-shouted vocals of their mighty opening gambit sounded custom built for bigger music venues; elsewhere, they evoked the passion and appetite of early U2 without the bluster.

Pinc Wafer are a looser, low-slung vehicle for the songs of Kent-bred and now Glasgow-based musician David Waters, who has recruited some fellow motley haircuts to deliver his punk funk hooklines and complement his jocular stage presence with knowingly cheesy guitar solos, springy basslines and some bizarre fascination with wholemeal bread which the entirely receptive audience were in on. The post-pandemic new band revolution starts here.

Music review: Pinc Wafer, Bandit Country and Wine Moms King Tut’s, Glasgow