Fatherson at The Lemon Tree

Following the successful release of their third album ‘Sum of All Your Parts’ last September, Scottish alt-rock band Fatherson have kept themselves busy with an almost constant flow of tour dates in the UK and Europe. Set to play at The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen on the 20 th , the tickets sold out within a matter of days. Supported by none other than Edinburgh natives Vistas, expectations were high leading up to the night.

Vistas opened the show with ease, catching the crowd’s attention with their catchy tunes and upbeat energy. While their music is safely contained within the boundaries of indie rock, it is by no means lacklustre. The song ‘Hold Me’ particularly stood out within the set, with a strong introduction and an underlying groove throughout.

Having not played in Aberdeen since last September, we were long overdue a performance from Fatherson. The Lemon Tree could barely hold all the eager people waiting to hear them play, and it would be a distinct understatement to say that it was merely worth the wait. There’s something about Fatherson’s music that’s so deeply, quietly personal. Ross Leighton’s lyricism is humble and honest to the core. It doesn’t presume to be a dramatic monologue to a distant, glassy-eyed crowd but instead almost has the purest emotion possible to convey – true and meaningful connection. While one could spend hours pouring over the technical aspects of Fatherson’s performance – Ross’s passionate vocals, Marc Strain’s slow-build bass lines and Greg Walkinshaw’s driving drum beats – the trio brings something infinitely more important to the lives of their fans. Songs like ‘The Rain’, ‘Oh Yes’ and ‘Lost Little Boys’, songs that stick in your head and stay in your heart. Songs that whisper inalienable truths about all our lives.

To put it bluntly, Fatherson are one of the best bands to come out of Scotland in recent memory. If you should ever have the opportunity to see them, dear reader, take it.