REVIEW: Iain McLaughlin And The Outsiders

THE opening number of the much-awaited set from Iain McLaughlin And The Outsiders unhitched all the rules support band The Alkanes had just taught you.

At the Ironworks on Friday night, it was hard to accept the four-year gap since the headline band had played there and the room crackled with anticipation.

Unlike three-piece The Alkanes who had done a textbook build through their set, impressing more and more as they flexed their muscles, won over their crowd and ascended with big strides to the deserved closer Make It Right, the headliners opened packing as much drama and intensity into Rapid Eye Movement as most bands would reserve for their encore.

The Alkanes’ Dale Sutherland is a fine guitarist – and an arresting singer – and with rock-solid support from Gary Wilson on drums and bassist Rory Troup, the band has all the gravitas to echo their heroes such as Biffy Clyro.

But watching songs such as The Nevolution (Neverution?) and newly-recorded Death and Glory, you found yourself wondering if adding another guitarist to the line-up might free Dale up a little to up the frontman stakes, eyeballing us more of the time and raising the bar yet another couple of notches.

The Outsiders’ intro music had already ramped up the readiness as they took the stage and hit Rapid Eye Movement, a slow builder with its almost military drumbeat from Russell Montgomery and scrubbing guitar, lyrics – as Outsiders’ songs often do – describing a challenging situation to be battled – “each step forward feels like two steps back”.

It was the start of a set that never put a foot wrong. Straight on into 2014 EP title track Falling Through The Dark and after it singer Iain wryly shared the trials of the band.

“The older we get, the longer these sets and the harder they become!”

There was no sense of that listening to the songs that have partnered the passing years of the band members who perform the seasoned songs with the proficiency, focus and slick professionalism of a black ops team knuckling down to a mission.

And just that little bit of magic.

Inviting Dr Wook and IMOUT Record label compadre to guest for two tracks – Hope and Easy – the band added a voice that brings a world-toughened, granite edge and crunch to the molten lava of Iain’s vocal.

Every song offered something special to notice – a syllable-perfect backing vocal

harmonies from keyboardist and guitarist Alasdair ‘Aly’ Duncan, a rampaging Dave Ramsay galloping across the stage and the quiet man of the line-up, guitarist Paul Elliott concocting riffs in the shadows on the left.

Before veteran track The Rise & Fall, Iain said: “This next song is the first Mr Elliott and me ever jammed back in 2009 – Time passing hasn’t aged The Outsiders’ sound – especially when songs are subtly re-arranged like that one – and Breathe which Iain told us had never got enough time on it.

And among hero songs, like the band’s Someone For Everyone, the four new ones – including live winner Salvador – shine like familiar jewels. Fitting snugly into the set, but hinting at what’s to come – another pearler The Weight – “a waltz at the end of the world”. MC