Twin Temple @ Stereo, Glasgow (24th January 2020)

with: The Violent Hearts

Hosted by: Triple G Music

WORDS: Joanne Gray

LA's self proclaimed 'Satanic Doo-Wop' group Twin Temple have certainly made their mark since the release of their 2019 debut album. As if combining Satanic values with their love for 50s and 60s music wasn't enough of an interesting prospect for me, it turned out that the live show leaned heavily into the more occult side of things as well. The more I have listened to that album, the more interested I was in the band and was pretty keen to see them live. Thankfully there was a Glasgow show around the corner in (the suitably underground, it must be said) Stereo, so I bought myself a ticket with high anticipation.

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What became immediately clear as the venue began to gradually fill up before the support band came on was that this crowd was going to be a varied one. Fans of classic rock n' roll mingled with gothier punks and metalheads of different ages and genders. The idea that these different styles could be united over Satanic and occult themes was something which would rear its head throughout this gig. The first sign of this was evident when The Violent Hearts came to the stage.

Formed from the ashes of disbanded English punk bands Sharks and Computers, the Birmingham band bore very little sonic resemblance to the band they were opening for. Evoking the sounds of The Smiths, The Damned and The Buzzcocks, The Violent Hearts sprinkled a post-punk sense of gloom on top of rather jangly indie rock. Albeit a very clean take on this sound. 

Having only listened to The Violent Hearts briefly before the gig, I thought they were a bit of an odd pick for a support act as they didn't really seem to fit with the sound of the headliner. But then again, how many Satanic doo-wop bands do you know of?... Thankfully there was enough of a sense of darkness pervading the band's song titles, image and lyrics to mean that the band didn't feel completely out of place- even if these aspects would prove to be rather tame in comparison to what would follow...

Musically, the band certainly had elements to their sound that I liked though, and they did these well. The rumbling bass line kept things plodding along in an appropriately gloomy fashion while the shimmering chorus-drenched guitar chords provided a really pleasant contrast. The use of synths within some of the songs here was a particular highlight, even if I did wish this was utilised a bit more throughout their set. Vocalist James Mattock topped this all off with a rather lackadaisical Robert Smith-meets-Gallagher-brothers vibe in his slightly snarled melancholic delivery. 

For me, there was a bit of urgency that was missing for my own taste and I would've liked for those more gothy sounds to come through a bit more as well. Musically, I can't really fault what was going on here though and they certainly seemed to get a few people in the crowd bopping along. Particularly in the last song, where Satan was definitely mentioned once or twice, the pace picked up slightly and a bit more distortion bled through the sound for a bit. 

As this relatively unknown band ended the set and thanked the crowd, I got the sense that there was potential for The Violent Hearts. For me, a bit of extra punch to their sound and stage presence would do them wonders. But all things considering, this was a pretty successful set from a band who were really pretty different from what was to follow. 

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And by that, they really were. As an assortment of classic RnB and rock n' roll gently hummed through the speakers, it became clear that this was going to be a very different sort of performance. 

Making the decision to stand near the front proved to be a smart move, as admiring and inquisitive onlookers started to move as close to the stage as possible. If this wasn't a sold out gig, then god damn, it was certainly close judging by how busy it felt in the room. Incredibly promising for the band's first UK tour and Glasgow show, without question. 

Such fascination shown from fans would then immediately prove to be correct as the lights dimmed and the ritual began. I say 'ritual' because that is really what this was. Entering to the tones of the dramatic, psychedelic instrumental track 'In Lvx', the musicians set the scene around the dingy stage for the duo to enter in solemn fashion. Decked in black and red outfits while brandishing crosses, a Satanic bible, a chalice and a sword, the married couple started the night in the way they meant to lead on; by paying homage to the art of black magic and Satan herself. Yup, for Twin Temple, Satan is a woman. 

This simple twist to the traditionally masculine notions of Satan is something which simply couldn't be ignored within the musical context of this band's message, visual performance and sound. In fact, it is integral to everything they do on stage. From the minute the danceable swing of opening track 'The Devil (Didn't Make Me Do It)' kicked things off, the onstage dynamic and vibe was wicked and electric. 

Combining the influences from powerhouse vocalists such as Billie Holiday, Etta Jones and Anita O'Day, frontwoman Alexandra James draws heavy comparisons to Amy Winehouse in both sound and visual performance. If Winehouse was an outspoken advocate for Satanism providing equality for all, that is... Sprinkled on top of so many songs was the idea that the power and individuality of women could be gained from the symbols and ideology of Satanism to "deliver from society's hypocrisy". Particularly in regards to the devilish themes of sexual freedom and hedonism, of course. 

As such, Alexandra James was a totally charismatic representative of the band's collective ideals as she seductively flirted with the audience, her husband, and (most importantly) with Lucifer. The slower, sultry songs like 'Lucifer, My Love' and 'I'm Wicked' would most effectively showcase this. But there was also a sense of fun that was present in the more uptempo hipshakers that would solidify just how amazingly fun this whole experience was. 

And with that, I really need to bring forward the sound of Zachary James' guitar playing and the rest of the musicians. Combining the infectiously danceable tones of 1920s jazz with the equally irresistible twang of 1950s rock n' roll sinfulness and a retro, psychedelic haze, both the primary guitarist and the rest of the musicians onstage were on top form. Impressively, instead of relying on backing tracks, brass instruments and keys would feature live to give the whole performance an organic and intimate feel within the small confines of the Stereo's stage. And it's really not often at all that you see a six piece manage to do all this without things ever feeling crowded or overpowering. Much of this comes from the fact that the rest of the band tend to take a backseat role to the theatrical performance than their frontwoman. But the contrast between dominant and reserved onstage really did complete the fascinating relationships on display.

I could probably go on and on about the more occult aspects that were on display that night (such as sacrificing a member of the crowd to Satan onstage, or getting the entire crowd to chant "Hail Satan" while the band proclaimed about Satanic feminism... and so on), but the most wonderful thing to experience throughout the entire gig were these relationships. Of course, the connection between the James' duo was electric and it only became clearer throughout the gig that where the two differ in terms of their mannerisms onstage, the couple's vision and ideals in life and in each other are one in the same. 

The close proximity between audience and band provided the ideal opportunity to connect to a full room of people as well. And this very clearly worked. In response to the crowd's ever increasingly loud claps and chants, the duo and band were visibly chuffed to pieces and the banter between the band and crowd very much reflected this authentic sense of appreciation. As mentioned earlier as well, the different subcultures who were present that night felt like they were completely joined together through this music. It almost feels mad to say, but I'm not sure I've ever seen a room full of people become so invigorated, enamoured and inspired by a show before. And I've seen plenty of cultish bands before. With what felt like the most fun you could have praising Satan outside of a Ghost show, the band played every single song they've released to date in the space of around an hour or so. The crowd could've quite easily went on for another half hour, but sadly there was no more songs to play. 

Seeing things out then with 'I'm Wicked', the ritual was ended with the James'es inserting a dagger into a chalice of 'blood' and placing crosses upon the foreheads of the crowd- communion style. And this continued for a good five or so minutes until it seemed like half the room had been branded. They just kept on coming! Finally (when most likely the 'blood' had run out), the band left the stage with incredulous grins on their faces. I guess that was just as good for them as it was for us...

As could be seen from what was perhaps the longest merch queue I've seen for a new band ever, Twin Temple had seemingly converted every person in the room. Truly incredible for a band who only formed in 2016 and have only played just over 30 shows. Even now as I write this review, I'm not sure I have ever seen a band get everything so right in such a short space of time. Image. Vision. Music. Performance. All exceptional, and all perfectly in sync. 

I, like many others in that room that night, have found myself a new band to obsess over. I can't wait to see them again at Download again this summer, and I would urge anyone out there to catch them live if you can as well. This is how you truly embody your social and ideological beliefs in the form of music. If Twin Temple keep it up like this, Doo Wop could become the Satanic music form of choice. 

Your move, black metal bands.

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Thanks to you for reading this review of Twin Temple in Glasgow at Stereo. Feel free to check out the video below if you missed the show and want to see some for yourself. While you're here, you could also help support RWEI by leaving a comment below or giving us a live/follow over on the socials. As always, we're open for submissions and contributions so get in touch if you want!

Cheers!