With VISA issues out of the way, Scottish band The Twilight Sad finally made it to The Echo.  Opener Micah P. Hinson was a pleasant surprise. He thought no one was there to hear his Americana sound.  He was indeed wrong. The Texan artist tried to hurry off the stage when his time was up, but members of The Twilight Sad urged him to continue much to the delight of the crowd.

It was now a little late but perfect timing for The Twilight Sad. Although its heavy, dark and very loud sound could fill a larger venue, the intimacy of the room made me feel like I was being transported through a dark windy tunnel, sometimes at lightning speed. The band’s style was reminiscent of its fellow Scotsmen Mogwai. Lead singer James Graham (who downplays his good looks) has such intensity on stage that I thought an exorcism might take place. Graham’s vocals were many times overshadowed by badass guitarist Andy MacFarlane, with one noted exception when Graham hopped on the floor in the middle of the crowd and belted his heart out.  Fans rushed to the merch table immediately after the show where drummer Mark Devine was running the table. Check out their well-received latest album No One Can Ever Know.  If you are heading to SXSW, they will be there as well.  Don’t forget the earplugs.  Photos by Debi Del Grande

The Twighlight Sad 

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Micah P. Hinson

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