TAGABOW is the most unique live band there is right now

Written by Chloe Buckley

In one of the most unique gigs I’ve been to, They Are Gutting A Body Of Water (TAGABOW) turned the floor into their stage as a sold out Classic Grand audience huddled around them.

TAGABOW in Glasgow

TAGABOW are a shoegaze band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They stopped off in Glasgow for the second night of their European tour celebrating the album LOTTO which was released in 2025.

Opening the night was the talented DJ ALADJI who played some experimental sounds that perfectly fit the vibe for the night. A great choice to set the tone for the evening.

Shortly after ALADJI’s set, a projector displayed “you can get on the stage it’s ok” and fans began to make their way up. This made it clear we were in for a unique musical experience.

The band walked out onto the venue’s floor where their instruments and microphones were staged. They weren’t even facing the crowd, they were in a circle facing towards each other. It wasn’t a flashy entrance either, just a simple introduction as they got themselves set up, guitars tuned and ready to go. 

Another immediately interesting part of their show was the interludes. They opened with ‘63 skies’ before heading into their first interlude jam. A majority of songs played were from their album DESTINY XL, their second studio album.

Each song and interlude flowed into each other, with only a few short breaks between songs. The experience of this gig was immense. It was intimate, loud and felt immersive.

The band didn’t play any songs from LOTTO until the final four tracks with more interludes separating each of them. This was one of the only downsides for me as I was hoping to hear some more of the amazing new songs from this record. They picked some great ones to play though, including ‘baeside k’, ‘rl stine’, ‘trainers’ and they closed out their hour long set with ‘the chase’.

Overall, the energy of this gig was unreal. From ALADJI’s tunes, to TAGABOW’s distinctive sound, and the Glasgow audience’s head banging to all of the sounds produced in the room that Monday night. It was an unforgettable performance, and one you should have on your bucket list of gigs.

Rating: 4/5