Live Review: Casey / Downswing / Half Awake Eyes | SLAY, Glasgow, 23/09/26
SLAY Glasgow is one of the cities smallest venues before you enter the DIY spaces of run down pubs and bars. Holding a capacity of 550, it allows for an intimate experience mixed between barrier and no barrier shows, across an array of genres. It’s basement location and 2 bars on opposite sides of the room with merch tables laid with goods and surrounded by boxes at the back, makes it easy for the floor to fill, guaranteeing that every show feels packed and sweaty, regardless of whether the aircon is blasting or not. The venue had been sectioned off, with only 1 side bar being accessible, which cut the capacity down by around 150, meaning the venue felt a lot fuller than if it were fully open. Sound ricochets off the concrete walls and internal pillars, creating a wall of noise that attacks you from every angle. SLAY is a fantastic venue when every hand on deck utilises the space and respects the architecture, using it to their advantage, but it can very easily become a disappointing experience for all if it’s not utilised efficiently.
8 years on since they last played a show in Scotland, (if you ask Tom, it’s because Scotland hates them, but if you ask literally anyone else then it’s the other way round) Casey brought their headline tour to celebrate 10 years of “Love Is Not Enough” to Glasgow city, supported by Downswing from New York, and local Glasgow band, Half Awake Eyes.
Local Alternative Metal outfit, Half Awake Eyes were granted the opening support slot for this date of the tour, handpicked by Casey. With their debut self-titled album only coming out earlier this year, we got to hear 90% of their discography and whether that’s a positive or a negative depends on how you look at it. On one hand it’s a great opportunity to present yourself to a crowd who, in theory, are likely to enjoy your music, but then on the other, it can be a make or break situation where you really need to deliver as a band to avoid becoming a negative review from “some little publication”. Their set started off on a very low note and it was questionable whether they were the right choice as the opener of the night. The drummer experienced an issue with one of the cymbals not being positioned correctly which interfered with actually playing. Although this was quickly fixed in the time between songs and could have been a simple hiccup at the start of their set, it seemed as though the interruption lingered, as the drums were being played across multiple different time signatures causing the instruments to fall out of time. There were pockets where everyone was playing harmoniously, until the timing slipped again, and again, and again. Where Half Awake Eyes began their set with the delicate side of their album, it made it incredibly obvious when their performance faltered and while this can be put down to nerves, it doesn’t detract from the reality that the guitarist and bassist carried the first half of their set, while the drummer faced a mountain of issues and the vocalist fell victim to poor sound tech which resulted in them looking like an instrumental band with a mime on stage, rather than a tight knit unit.
The second half of their set took a turn into exciting territory, the riffs amplified and both the guitarist and bassist cranked it up a few notches to make an attempt at gaining back the attention of the crowd and honestly, it paid off to an extent as they dove into the heavier side of their discography. It was nothing to start swinging limbs to, but a few people nodded along to the beat while the harsh vocals - courtesy of the bassist - became more prominent, granting more acceptance as to why they’d been chosen for this date of the tour. Although the floor remained sparse with statuesque figures, Half Awake Eyes ended their set gracefully, thanking the crowd for turning up and being there in the moment with them.
The main support came from modern metalcore band, Downswing. Hailing from Albany, New York, this tour is the first time they’ve ever stepped foot in the UK. As a previous die-hard fan of them, there was a slight level of anticipation to seeing them perform live, but that was quickly diminished when they hardly played any of their old material. Nevertheless, they brought energy and enthusiasm to the stage. All members used the space demandingly, and even if you’re unfamiliar with them, they’re a thrilling band to watch perform based off their own enjoyment that radiates off them. Whether that automatically transfers to the crowd is a different story, and the saying, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink” applies here. If a crowd is inundated with people showing up solely for the headliner, the chances of them giving the support acts a shimmer of reaction is little to none. Add to that the fact that the Scottish are renowned for being a stubborn bunch, the odds were against them. Downswing obviously curated their setlist to include their most energetic songs, and there’s no denying that they’re full of modern metalcore quirks; pick scrapes, breakdowns full of chugs and ambience, and a wide range of vocal acrobatics, including designated sing-along sections. But the crowd were just not biting, except one person, who vocalist, Harrison Scott shouted out multiple times during their set, “I see you!” and commending the lone mosher and their enthusiasm. The ongoing requests from Harrison trying to get the crowd involved eventually fell flat on their face, when he called for a wall of death during an upcoming breakdown. Some people humoured the idea and there was a small break in the crowd, but it wasn’t enough to cause carnage, nor was it a sight to behold, so we’ll just say that they managed to get a wall of peace out of their 2nd ever UK show.
By the grace of the sound tech Gods, we could actually hear the main vocals during their performance, which meant the entire set felt more put together and receptive. Harrison sounds exactly like he does on record, which is not something you can say about a lot of vocalists. Downswing truly brought their all from across the pond and didn’t let the crowds reluctance to get involved dampen their determination to have a good fucking time. Their sound translated well through the PA and you could hear every technical flick from the instruments, so much so that we even got to hear their click track over the speakers between songs, +1 to the sound tech for that one. Where other bands might’ve kicked off over things going wrong, or the crowd not engaging how they envisioned, none of it phased the quartet and that in itself is applaudable for a band to hold their composure and appreciate people turning up for their support slot, regardless if they left a fan or not - although they did gain at least one new fan, as one person at the barrier immediately opened their Spotify and downloaded a load of the bands’ songs after the set had ended.
Were Downswing a bit of a strange, out of place wildcard for a Casey show? Yes. Did they give it everything they had in the hopes of making a lasting impression as their first time in the UK, and looked pretty awesome doing so? Also yes. Did they hold their own and that in itself is just as commendable as winning over an entire crowd? Absolutely. They’re a band that genuinely sound powerful both on record and live, and if cookie cutter modern metalcore is your thing, then you’d be doing yourself a disservice for not managing to catch them on their UK debut.
Finally the time came that everyone in that basement venue was waiting for. We were all ready to get overly emotional and scream until our lungs gave out along to some of the most heart-wrenching songs in our music rotation for the last 10 years. Casey took to the stage and the crowd erupted in cheers, barks, and even wolf whistles. This is a band that will always feel intimate. One that you’ll always have the pleasure of being able to see in small venues with like-minded people clamouring over each other to point their fingers and shout the lyrics back to the guys on stage. This isn’t because they’re not worthy of arenas, it’s because they’re designed to be a personal band, which is something they’ve been for a lot of people for over a decade. Celebrating 10 years of such a pivotal record for them in a city they hadn’t been to in 8 years truly was something special.
They didn’t step out into the lights and deliver a big speech about how honourable it was to be back in Scotland (rude), they just delivered. From the second the intro to Bloom began, the energy in the room shifted and you could tell that everyone was getting ready to start blowing out their vocal chords through strained cries. All members that worked on this record have been brought back for this anniversary tour, and while the stage in SLAY is quite small, they all commanded their individual spaces and looked ethereal doing it. The sound tech was once again improved, and all aspects of those sad boy songs were crystal clear through the speakers, allowing every one of us to appreciate the art and passion all over again. Max’s drumming never skipped a beat and didn’t overshadow the other sounds needed to make it feel full and impactful. Toby’s guitar playing was so powerfully gorgeous that at times where he was playing a lead without the accompaniment of Tom’s vocals, you could sense that someone somewhere in the crowd was most definitely bawling their eyes out. Adam and Liam held down the left of the stage and played harmoniously to deliver feelings of angst, heartbreak, and despair through their graceful tones. Tom did what he does best, and that was stand in front of the strobe lights to prevent the crowd from being blinded. Yes, he really is just that tall. The thing with Tom is that he (nor the entire band for that matter) doesn’t need layers of processing to portray the transparency contained in Casey’s discography. You feel every word that he projects, and as a vocalist, his ability to dial it back to create a melancholy atmosphere is haunting, both on and off record. But also the sheer pain that he is able to convey without bursting into tears is a harrowing experience. Watching Casey on stage in an intimate sized venue is nothing short of an eye-opener. Where other bands use technology to infuse their performances with manufactured emotion, these guys strip it right back and bare all in such an unapologetic manner that it was no surprise that when you turned and looked at the crowd, you were met with a sea of faces all showing different emotions.
Everyone in the room gathered to scream and cry to a band who’s songs have helped them through some of their darkest times, but in between the track list in the moments of ambience filling the room, people expressed their adoration and gratitude for the band on stage. “I fucking love you, Tom!” pierced the silence multiple times, and Tom always replied with, “I love you too, mate.” further proving that this is a band for the people. This is a band that feels like your best friend when you need someone to turn to when you can feel yourself slipping. They’re authentic and emotionally transparent, not just as musicians, but as people. Each member would take their time to glance out into the crowd and you could see the expression on their face change in real-time - a glimpse into the idea of what community means to them.
Not a single song on the set list went without the support of hundreds of people screaming the lyrics back towards the stage, and to no one’s surprise, “Love Is Not Enough” played in chronological order, so for those that only enjoy albums in the order they’re written in, there were many who became overwhelmed with excitement, knowing the next song before the intro had even started. Where the support acts had made time to speak to the crowd between most songs, Casey let the music do all the talking. Not because they had next to nothing to say to the crowd, but because the songs could speak the words that were so poignant in that moment, better than any speech could. That’s not to say they went the entire set without engaging outside of their performance, as Tom did take the time to speak directly to the crowd before they went into the last few songs of the night, delivering a short monologue of gratitude and humility, and also apologising for Casey not coming back to Scotland sooner.
Each song brought out a different side of the crowd. At times they were inanimate and watching on through blurry eyes, having a sombre moment to themselves, at others they were throwing hands towards the front of the venue as if it drove the emotion of the lyrics even deeper, and there were also a few crowd surfers towards the end. Crowd surfing has a place at most shows and is a great way to amplify your experience of seeing your favourite bands. But for the love of God, people have got to stop flapping about like a fish out of water while others are trying to hold them up. On top of that, if you’re underneath a crowd surfer, it is your public duty to hold them up so that they don’t drop to the floor and injure themselves or others around them. You’d think this was common knowledge, but there were a couple of people who were almost dropped on their heads by others who were too ignorant to put their hands up in support. I promise you the band will think better of you if you actually help as opposed to cool-guying the person above you.
With a runtime of only 33 minutes, they couldn’t just give us the album and then call it a day. So, they tapered off their set with fan favourites from across their discography. Fluorescents saw the crowd erupt into unified howling, all pushing towards the barrier to deliver, “So give me one good reason to believe I’m getting better. My weight keeps fluctuating and I struggle to remember.” and it was a true example of how songs don’t necessarily need insane riffs and breakdowns to be heavy. You would’ve thought everyone in the room hated each other, and the band, when Fade took over, because levels of pain and aguish clouded the space like a weighted blanket that made it hard to breathe between screaming the lyrics out into the open. Seeing Casey perform isn’t ever going to be some grand production on huge stages with set props and a 20 man crew, and that’s why they’ve reached out to the hearts of those that truly appreciate them for their authenticity and candidness. It’s a healing environment and a safe place to take off your mask and leave it at the venue doors, and that’s testament to how much this band cares about those that care for them.
