Having taken a break from touring in recent months, it's a wonderful feeling to watch Flood of Red take to the ABC's stage this evening. Choosing to spend their 2011 concentrating on writing tracks for the follow-up to their debut 'Leaving Everything Behind', the set this evening proves their success so far. Bravely deciding to open with four brand new songs - including the recently available to download 'No Lover Of Mine' - the band seem to be comfortably exploring a more aggressive realm, adding layers of heaviness to their already brooding brand of rock.

Returning to a few familiar tracks from their first full-length, we're treated to 'Home Run, (1997)', 'A Place Before The End' and the Glaswegian-tinged 'Little Lovers' before their time draws to a close. Having clearly converted a fair few of tonight's audience, it hopefully won't be too long until they're back on this stage again, because, let's face it, it's about darn time.

Tonight, most people would probably be under the impression that this show is the least important in The Blackout's small summer run. Standing as their sole warm-up date before their main stage appearances at Reading and Leeds Festivals, you'd understandably be excused in assuming that. However, for this Glaswegian crowd, that couldn't be further from the truth.

Exploding to life infront of a banner simply reading 'Hope' - the name of the band's third and latest album - the energy from the Welsh six-piece and crowd alike, is high from the very start. Storming through tracks from their entire back catalogue, including the unusually early appearance of 'I'm A Riot? You're A Fucking Riot', there's very little time to even catch your breath before the huge sounding 'It's High Tide, Baby' fills the room with voices.

Bounding around the stage with ease, vocalists Gavin Butler and Sean Smith successfully work off one another throughout, whilst constantly commending their audience; voicing the fact that not only is this the biggest show in Scotland that they've ever played, but also their best.

As reward, we are privy to a few early performances of several of 'Hope's tracks, including soon-to-be single 'You're Not Alone'. However, it's a moment within closer 'Save Our Selves' that really proves how remarkable tonight has turned out to be. Whilst the band traditionally encourage their crowds to sit down before the final chorus of the song, they opt not to do so tonight. Instead, however, the crowd take the initiative to do so themselves, without any coaxing, leaving the band members looking on in disbelief as the entire room lowers themselves to the floor, before finishing the final singalong all on their own. It's honestly enough to think, "Who needs Reading and Leeds after all?!"

By Sarah Jamieson.