Amid a summer of concerts which includes Glastonbury and a European stadium support tour with Coldplay, Scottish electropop stars Chvrches were finally able to play a long weekend of homecoming shows, including a long-postponed gig at Fat Sam’s in Dundee.
“Even though it only says an hour on the ticket, you’ve waited so long, so we’re doing the full Screen Violence show,” said singer Lauren Mayberry.
She was referring to the tour for their fourth album of the same name, which they’ve been on since 2021 and which saw its final date in Dundee on Monday.
The Glasgow trio were originally meant to play this show, organised by Assai Records, back in March 2022, but illness meant they had to cancel.
Following on from two nights at the Barrowlands in Glasgow, this unique set saw them play with a level of intimacy fans just can’t get at their regular concerts. Mayberry could hold a conversation with the front row, where all the die-hard fans were.
Calling them “Chvrches Deadheads,” in reference to the most dedicated fans of The Grateful Dead, she asked how many times they had seen her band.
Some said more than 40 or 50 times. One person has been to 72 shows. “That’s almost as many as me!” said Mayberry.
‘Impressive’ lightshow and fake blood
It was an arena-worthy production in a local nightclub, which somehow suited their retro-futurist pop perfectly.
Against an impressive lightshow, Mayberry kept moving, running and spinning across the stage, while bandmates Iain Cook, Martin Doherty and live drummer Jonny Scott kept still.
She managed more than one costume change, the final one including a slasher film-themed release of fake blood.
The 17-song setlist included their collaboration with The Cure’s Robert Smith How Not to Drown, the sleek techno of Science/Visions and the Stranger Things themes-in-waiting Good Girls and Final Girl.
“This feels like a real moment for us, thank you,” said a relieved Cook at the end, reaching the finish line in a two-year race.
A sublime encore of the energising Asking for a Friend, old favourite The Mother We Share and Clearest Blue’s perfect pop sent them on to the next adventure.
Conversation