AND, so, they transform. From the flick of a switch, they swell with determined purpose. They fuse into something greater than their constituent parts, empowered by their own creation. Five musicians become VLURE.

In isolation they are Hamish Hutcheson, Niall Goldie, and Conor Goldie, Carlo Kriekaard and Alex Pearson...Together they are a juggernaut.

Those who have caught the band live will be of one mind in assessing their stagecraft. They appear to reach inside themselves and find something raw, latent and incandescent.

In the band's frontman, the change is palpable. The personable and easy-going Hutcheson becomes the vanguard of VLURE. But there are no roles being adopted here – no dropping in and out of character – it is simply cause and effect.

"It just hits us," the singer tells The Weekender. "There's nothing pre-meditated about it. It's just us being honest.

"Our live shows, and what we do when we perform, is just us showing how we feel about the music we make. I get totally engrossed in the music these guys play.

"And you never know if your next show is your last show… and we just want to leave everything out there on that stage."

He adds: "I talk a lot about the battles of my mind. It's all personal politics: I don't talk about the outside world; I look at the way my mind works. The tunes we make as a band are just emotive for me that I just get lost. It's the same for the rest of the band too – we just get so caught up in the moment."

Reports of VLURE chewing up festival stages south of the border, including Latitude, were doing the rounds as they prepared for their set at TRNSMT recently. They had 35 minutes, below the overcast sky of Glasgow Green, to deliver – to live up to the hype.

From the start, it was clear they would. From the start, it was clear that this band are authentic. They are treading a path only they could – a path only they know.

The sight of Hutcheson stirring the crowd from his barrier perch is one that should stick in the mind of all those who bore witness. It was a release, pure and simple. For some it was an outpouring of angst; for others it was sheer joy. Thus, the power of VLURE.

"A big part of our stage performance is involving the crowd in it. We used to do it a lot more; though a little less at the moment.

"Latitude was… well, it just felt like a huge moment. Myself and Conor, we got back into the crowd and we were walking around and patrolling and we could just see how much people are feeling it and vibing.

"That's why we are doing this – that's what it's all about. This is what 14-year-old me dreamed of.

"We've always done that… going into the crowd. Some of the songs we write just really lend themselves to that. It's always my favourite part of the set."

 

VLURE are known for their energetic live shows. Picture by Marilena Vlachopoulou

VLURE are known for their energetic live shows. Picture by Marilena Vlachopoulou

 

Those on the outside looking in may well feel intimidated by the sight of VLURE. Ostensibly, they are brutally intense and seemingly unapproachable. But that aesthetic is antithetical to the band's general philosophy.

Indeed, the reason that the band's angst-laden live shows are so powerful is simply because that onslaught of raw emotion resonates with so many people – those who struggle to convey their emotions and are awaiting the release that comes from live shows. Now, more than ever, that release is crucial.

For Hutcheson, his writing and performing is vital. Anything kept bottled up will eventually find a way out.

He reflects: "It is pretty aggressive at times, but there are some softer songs. We all feel we are trying to portray our true selves. And we do it through the music. None of us can walk up to our pals in the middle of the street and just start shouting about our feelings – that would just be f***ing weird.

"But on stage, we get to amp up those emotions and just let loose. And that's it. It is a total release. Everything that has been winding you up for the past week – the past month – we get to go up there on stage and just let it out. 'Bam, there you go, take it'.

"With lyrics, I feel people will always resonate with honesty. Just writing down on a sheet of paper exactly how you feel…. It might not mean the same thing to them, but people will just get something from that. I try to articulate my point in the best format I can, while staying true to myself.

"I count myself so lucky that I get to be in a band with four absolutely outstanding musicians. Honestly, I sit in the practice room and watch as they seamlessly swap instruments, and I am always amazed at the stuff they can create. I can vocalise what I want to hear but they can just switch instruments and show each other what they are talking about."

And those who get the band – who need the same catharsis – will be welcomed with open arms.

"We are a family first and foremost," Hutcheson adds. "This whole thing was built on friendship and anyone who gets involved – band members, audience members, labels, anyone – they will all be welcomed into VLURE as a friend.

"I know the music might not always feel the welcoming to some. It is a bit loud, I get it. But part of being on stage is that I get to accentuate my personality. So much so that people seem to think I'm a bit of a scary guy – until they meet me off stage and realise that I'm one of the biggest softies there is. I do my best to be happy and always try to have a smile on my face.

"The whole band's aesthetic can be seen like that. We're sort of intimidating when you look at us, but then you meet us all and we're just a bunch of happy people who want to be pals with everyone."

 

VLURE are known for their energetic live shows. Picture by Marilena Vlachopoulou

VLURE are known for their energetic live shows. Picture by Marilena Vlachopoulou

 

VLURE have cultivated a dedicated following over the last few years, despite having just two formal releases. Their first – Shattered Faith – racked up more than 120,000 streams on Spotify in a few months, with their latest single Show Me How to Live Again picking up speed after just a couple of weeks.

The band also recently signed with So Young Records, yet another massive step forward for the quintet. Their journey has been eventful, no doubt, but started in much the same fashion as many others.

Niall and Connor had been playing in a few bands before catching Hutcheson on stage one evening.

The singer adds: "The story goes that Niall and Conor's mum and dad were at the back of the room and watching me on stage when we were playing. I think their mum told them: 'That's your frontman; that's who you want in your new band'."

Person met Niall at a party and linke-up with Kriekaard – who came over to study in Scotland from the Netherlands – being introduced to the rest of the band through the local scene. The group began as a studio project, experimenting and tweaking as they went on.

Hutcheson says: "We started off with the idea of being a little genre-bending and not really keeping within one place. There was a bit of post-punk at the start, but then over the lockdown we had this opportunity to write music that didn't really fit with that original aesthetic.

"But we've been really trying to home in on making something a bit different – we've been working with goth trance ideas, taking a lot from Prodigy, Faithless, Massive Attack and Underworld. We're just taking from these kinds of bands and trying to see what we can do with a bit more of a dance element, because that's what we are listening to now.

"It's also one of our favourite things to do – to go out dancing. So why not write songs in that same format that we can really push? It's been a real challenge, but it's really exciting.

"We just want to write tunes that are good. It's not really about putting things out there from a set format. We won't release a song or put one in a set that we don't believe is a great tune. It doesn't have to be from one genre, with one specific 'sound' or anything – so long as it is VLURE…so long as it's us, then we're happy."

He adds: "Show Me How to Alive Again is just another one that's just full-on, and right in your face. It's all about asking how to move forward, really.

"There's a few other things going on, but I can't quite say at the minute. But there's a lot more to come.

"We've just announced that we've signed with So Young records and that's exciting in itself. It's just such a good move for us, we love the guys that have worked there. Every time we've met someone from there, it's been great. We're just really excited to see what we can create together."

VLURE recently announce dates at The Tunnels in Aberdeen on Friday, November 19, and at the Mash House in Edinburgh on Saturday, November 20.

For ticket information, visit www.gigsinscotland.com/artist/vlure