by Andy Sykes
Photo by Graham Noble
Indie rock band Wrest are to play their biggest show ever at an iconic Scottish gig venue – despite still being unsigned.
The four-piece will play the 1,900 capacity Barrowlands in Glasgow on 31 August 2024 to herald their highly-anticipated third album.
The four-piece have already sold out Friday’s gig at The Garage venue in Glasgow and released the first track off a new five-song EP, Keep Going, on Friday.
It was the starting pistol for a seismic 18 months for Wrest, who only formed in 2018 and have been compared to Frightened Rabbit and The National.
“The Barrrowlands is such a landmark venue for a band like us, so this is a bit crazy,” said frontman Stewart Douglas.
“We used to joke back in the day ‘one day when we’re at the Barrowlands…’. Now we’re staring it in in the face.
“It’s very exciting but also intimidating in some respects. It’s a challenge we’re up for. Selling out The Garage so quickly was something we couldn’t fathom, it was way beyond our expectations.
“So we’ll be pulling out all the stops to make sure the Barrowlands is going to be as amazing as we have dreamed about.”
Unlike other unsigned bands to have played at the Barrowlands, Wrest have no promoter support and will be putting the show on entirely themselves to follow the ‘DIY’ theme to their music and shows so far.
Keep Going is the curtain-raiser for the five-track EP, Bedtime Rhymes, which will be released to coincide with their show at the Queens Hall in Edinburgh on November 24.
A third album is earmarked for the second half of 2024 to follow on from their critically-acclaimed first two albums, Coward Of Us All and End All The Days.
They have been working with producer Jamie Holmes at Mogwai’s Castle of Doom studios in Glasgow on Keep Going, an anthemic indie ballad ala Snow Patrol or Biffy Clyro.
It marks a darkening of their sound from the ‘happy-sad’ theme which coursed through End All The Days.
“Keep Going is about drawing a line under the past and actively choosing to keep going,” said Falkirk-based Douglas.
“To keep moving forward through life despite the heartache and despair in the hope that better days are still to come.
“If End All The Days is the happy-sad then Bedtime Rhymes is the sad-sad.
“Bedtime Rhymes suggests comfort and going to sleep but it’s like an uneasy sleep. Sleep tight but the problems are still there in the morning. It’s a bit less glorious but we’re really happy with it.”
Wrest will also head to Germany in the summer to play a series of festival including a headline slot at Beatpol in Dresden in September.
Tickets on sale now at https://wrest.band/gigs