The Snuts at the Forum

Last night Scottish indie rockers The Snuts brought the South East leg of their delayed tour to a sold-out Kentish Town Forum, London, in continued celebration of the release of their latest album WL, which entered the charts at number one in April of this year. Born when its members met as teenagers at secondary school, the band (now in their early 20s) are gigging from strength to strength, with ever-increasing legions of fans and consistent development in their material and sound that doesn’t fail to impress.

The Gaelic four-piece enjoy a loyal following from devotees of ex-One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson, having played at his Away From Home online festival earlier this year, and the relatively young audience in evidence at the Forum were testament to the fact. Having waited since May for the postponed date for the gig, the crowd was wildly excited, greeting the group with manic energy as they entered the stage with the bombastic opening beats of Glasgow (a simple, but effective “The Snuts” emblazoned behind them). Always and Juan Belmonte followed, bringing infectious funk and cementing a feel-good vibe. At times, it seemed like early-days Arctic Monkeys were performing.

The atmosphere remained ecstatic throughout the evening, simmering down only briefly for a poignant acoustic rendition of Top Deck (featuring a cellist), and later their emotive tribute to the displaced, Somebody Loves You, where their number was augmented by a full string quartet. Laidback and levelheaded, but apparently in the mood to collaborate, The Snuts were joined on stage after Top Deck by support act BEMZ, who added some thoroughly excitable rap over Coffee and Cigarettes (complemented by a green laser light show). The energetic Don’t Forget It (Punk) was a playful reminder of the band’s insouciance in the face of the competition.

The set concluded with the anthemic What’s Going On and the crowd clamoured for more as they exited the stage. Minutes later, framed by a new backdrop proclaiming “Burn the Empire”, The Snuts gave an impassioned encore by the same name – the debut outing for the song and an angry political statement railing against a system that betrays so many. It was another example of the group using their significant following for good, and the audience were all ears.

Sean Richards
Photos: Filippo L’Astorina

For further information and future events visit The Snuts’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Somebody Loves You here: