Sobriety @ The Hug and Pint

“The only drunk I need is you” are the solemn words echoing from Ben McGirr’s mind on Sobriety’s debut single, ‘Ronnie’s Song’. 

It’s a beautiful, melancholic track in which our raconteur delivers a painful meditation on a friend, a friend clearly struggling through a low point. McGirr attempts to convey how much this person means to him. A lugubrious tale, to be sure, but one which many can empathize with. It’s a broody, post-punk ballad which, alongside some acclaimed live performances, has created a lot of interest in the Paisley-based band. They play the Hug And Pint bar on Great Western Road this weekend with support from ‘Public Displays of Affection’ and ‘Milktoast’, two exciting instances of homegrown talent. 

The Public Displays of Affection have also been busy bees this year, with two single releases under their belt already. The first single, ‘Driving Instructor’, is a garage-pop banger which combines the poppier aspects of pre-Pinkerton Weezer, the off-kilter guitar leads you’d find on a Ty Segall record, as well the twee-romantic dynamic that is typical of the White Stripes. 

The second single, Messy Bangs, is a hilarious ballad regarding a feeling of endearment towards certain girl’s unkempt hairstyle. The song features this repetitive, supremely-catchy chorus from lead vocalist, Kiera Coffield. The PDOA’s are sure to the bring the same infectious energy that they’ve displayed on these two tracks.

Milktoast, meanwhile, are yet to release anything in 2018, though it was only last December that they released their eponymous debut EP. Milktoast was one of the standout releases in the city of Glasgow that year. It boasted the bands fantastic songwriting, undeniable musicianship, and fantastic lead vocals. This foundation yielded fantastic results, the EP ended up being a fabulous fusion of math rock, mid-western emo and alternative rock. The future is bright for this young band.

To see these three fantastic bands in action, be sure to grab tickets to Sunday’s show!