Twin Atlantic's last Ironworks gig set the scene for a funeral – but had a party
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So Twin Atlantic came dressed for a funeral …
Then they give the Ironworks one of the biggest parties anyone has probably ever seen.
The LaFontaines, stirred by the magnetic presence of Kerr Okan – rapper, rock god, master dispenser of the one-liner, chat show host. Is there anything this man can’t do?
We know now he set the Ironworks crowd alight so that they came in at a ‘nicely warmed up’ just in time for Twin Atlantic taking to take the stage.
In black suits, following the clever order of service papers they had given out to people coming into the building naming Twin Atlantic and the Ironworks and the death-invoking lyrics of their song Whispers, the mood was still high and ‘excitable’. The soundtrack too was funereal with Amazing Grace, a sombre psalm-like version of it, then Elvis singing Always On My Mind – inspiring a few damp eyes in the photographer’s pit and probably throughout the packed, expectant crowd, buzzing in front of the stage.
Now Twin Atlantic have so many albums, so many songs to choose from they could script a night exactly as they choose to set the mood.
So saying farewell to the Ironworks starts with Fall To The Party – “Anticipating drama I hope you know … A darker place where we can get together and rage”.
And if this gig was the funeral. Fall Into The Party – the original video coming with a lookback at the band’s lives over the 18 months of The Great Divide and back – was the split-second before you die when your whole life comes flashing in front of you.
But no-one was dying here – no-one should ever have felt more alive.
But there was no time for hanging about.
This was vintage Twin Atlantic, Sam McTrusty raging when he wasn’t bounding across the stage or shooting arms in the air to encourage a crowd that didn’t need any help.
The volume of any singalong they bought into was the loudest clearest sound I’ve ever heard an audience make in there.
Of course there were all the songs – and some heartfelt, burning words from Sam about the closure of this place.
“Is this anyone’s first time in the Ironworks tonight? I’m 100% sure the rest of you have been here loads of times. This is a world-class venue and an absolute sh**-show of chaos!” he yelled to a huge cheer that reflected his sense of stupid waste with the loss of the music venue.
He encouraged the crowd to jump – and they bounded like spacehoppers.
Sam crowdsurfed his way across their hands in No Sleep, landing back less elegantly, but praising the security man who delivered him safely back then grinning wide showed off his guns like a circus strongman.
And as well as the euphoria and the simmering fury of Sam that this would be the last time, there were the bubbling emotions.
So in Oceans, the chord changes of the intro alone made you want to weep – this is the one where Barry McKenna plays the cello and the front row caught by the light sang the song back to Sam like a choir of angels.
There couldn’t have been a better band for one of these last nights.
Twin Atlantic were born in 2006, just like the Ironworks, their destinies crossing all the way along.
There's a rumour they brought in their Paris tattooist last night to each unite them with their own ink of the place.
And the start here, so long ago? Sam explained telling us about the first of the 12 times – 13 now? – that they have played there.
"In 2008 we got a phone call at 10 in the morning, Biffy Clyro were playing up here and the support act had f***ed up and couldn’t make it so we got the call from Dave McGeachan [promoter]who is here tonight. We were sh***ing ourselves driving up the A9. It was the biggest place we had ever played – we’d only played a half-hour set before but we got here and played 45 minutes and that encouraged us to chase the music industry. When the lights went down the room the crowd went f***ing crazy and it was the best f***ing audience we ever played to!
“Sincerely, thanks from our hearts for igniting our hearts!”
“Last chance Inverness to jump!”
They took it.
HOW WAS THE GIG?
Eilidh McFarlane, 23
Q When did you first see Twin Atlantic live?
It was here in the Ironworks in 2017, the year I left high school. I'd been a fan since their album The Great Divide, but it took three or four years to see them live.
Q How do you feel about the Ironworks closing?
Quite gutted. I've seen Twin Atlantic here, the Hydro, P & J Live and the old SECC and the Ironworks has always been my favourite.
Q After the gig: How was it?
I loved it!
Robert Johnstone, 57
Q When did you first see Twin Atlantic live?
It was 2012 in the Barrowlands. I'd listened to them a lot before that!
Q After the gig: How was it?
Class!
Ross Henderson, 25
[Ross had prime position in front of the stage – but with his back to it, performing his job with venue security Adamantine Global. He spoke after the gig when everyone had left the main room!]
Q When did you first see Twin Atlantic live?
2019. I was working at The Glenfiddich Experience at Dufftown on the production line and we walked them through!
Q How do you feel about the Ironworks closing?
I've been up here countless times and it's sad it's closing down for us and our company. It's been lovely coming up here and meeting the team and the public. Hopefully we will be able to come back!
Darren Wyllie, 35
[Darren is Ross's boss at venue security Adamantine Global and stopped for a quick word after the gig!]
Q When did you first see Twin Atlantic live?
It was May last year, here in the Ironworks!
Q How do you feel about the Ironworks closing
It's been great being part of the business for the last 18 months. The fact it's closing is a travesty and it's unfortunate the Highlands have now lost a huge part of this gig economy.
Q After the gig: How was it?
It was great, the guys were fantastic, full of energy and before they came on, The LaFontaines were good too. Both great to work with!
