The LaFontaines, Glasgow, Stereo

“We are the masters of our fate, but we’ve got it all under control…” As the final words of new single ‘Paperchase’ ring out through a sold out Glasgow Stereo it would appear that all control has left crowd, and The LaFontaines fate looks very bright.

This is the bands first headlining Glasgow show since supporting Twin Atlantic back in May and performing to packed-out T Break tent at this year’s T In the Park, and the fact that Stereo is filled to the rafters could probably be attributed to this fact. This is not to say that the band have not earned all of this on their own merit, the five piece hip-rock outfit from Motherwell have gigged relentlessly and spent months in the studio to get to where they are now. And as the lights go down and ‘that bloke from the telly’ starts to announce the band onstage the crowd repay all their hard work with rapturous applause.

Opening with punchy futuristic track ‘The Vulcan’ from their debut self-titled EP, the band explode onto the stage. Blasting through old favourites ‘Rapboy’ and ‘Superstar’ in quick sucession the band are on top form, and it’s not long before the first crowd surfer of many this evening reaches the stage to stand side by side with front man Kerr Okan. After switching the energy in the room up to electrifying with crowd favourite ‘Pon De Fonts’ and airing bouncing new tracks ‘LOCO’ and ‘Wrapped in Fashion’, the lights dim briefly for a skit from Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace for some tongue in cheek anti-Scottish humour. It provides the perfect interlude to a Fonts gig, and sets a great atmosphere for the edgy ‘Sin City’ to kick things back into gear.

The fun and madness continues at a break-neck speed throughout the rest of the night, as guitarist Darren McCaughey throws himself around whilst drummer Jamie Keenan keeps the beat going strong. The set is finally brought to a close with ‘Shark in the Water’, a mosh pit inducing drum and bass track with a twist (complete with a sample of VV Brown’s song of the same name) that has the whole room dancing all the way onto the stage.

A triumphant start to the band’s current Scottish tour, and if tonight’s show is anything to go by, this may well be one the smallest venues that The LaFontaines headline. Catch them while you can.