Some of the best gigs are the ones you never planned on attending. No months of anticipation, no countdown on the calendar, just a last-minute opportunity that turns into one hell of a night.
That’s exactly how I ended up at The Garage in Glasgow to photograph Spineshank.
Despite being familiar with their music, I’d never actually seen the American nu-metal veterans live, so when the opportunity came along, I wasn’t about to turn it down. After a frantic scramble to get my camera gear together and a drive through a proper Scottish storm, I was finally on my way.
Was it worth it? Every bloody second.
Although, as it turned out, I’d be leaving with more than just photographs and memories. But more on that later.
First up were British gothic rockers South of Salem, a band I knew very little about before walking into The Garage. Sometimes that’s the best way to experience a support act. No expectations, no preconceived ideas, just an open mind and a camera ready to capture whatever happens.
And I’m glad I got to see them.
Opening with “Let Us Prey”, South of Salem immediately caught my attention. There was a wonderfully sinister feel to their performance, but underneath the darker imagery was a band with a real love for old-school rock ‘n’ roll.
Their sound had shades of gothic rock mixed with the swagger of 1980s glam metal. Big riffs, catchy melodies and some cracking wee guitar solos gave the songs plenty of character. It was a combination that worked surprisingly well, particularly in a live setting.
The frontman was great fun to watch. He had that natural confidence that some singers seem to possess without even trying. Whether he was delivering the vocals or interacting with the audience between songs, he looked completely at home on stage.
The rest of the band were equally entertaining. The guitarists and bassist were constantly moving around, making full use of the stage, while the drummer held everything together with some solid, punchy playing.
One of my favourite moments came when the vocalist and a guitarist made their way down to the barrier to get amongst the fans. I love seeing bands do this. It’s a simple thing, but it makes such a difference when the musicians are willing to get that close to the people who’ve come out to support them.
By the end of their set, South of Salem had certainly won me over. I’d arrived knowing next to nothing about them and left wanting to hear more. You can’t ask much more than that from a band you’re seeing for the first time.
Unfortunately, their performance also came with a rather unexpected personal incident.
At some point during the evening, I managed to take an almighty tumble and completely mess up my foot. I’m still not entirely sure how I managed it, but I’d like to say a massive thank you to the lovely gentleman who helped me back onto my feet!
For anyone concerned, the cameras survived without a scratch.
The foot? Not so much.
Photographer priorities, obviously.
By the time Spineshank were ready to take the stage, there was a real buzz around The Garage.
Having returned to live performances in 2025 after more than a decade away, the band have found themselves playing to audiences who clearly haven’t forgotten just how important their music was to the nu-metal scene.
Of course, returning after such a long absence is one thing. Proving you’ve still got it is another matter entirely.
Thankfully, Spineshank didn’t leave anyone wondering.
They opened with “Asthmatic”, and I swear they hadn’t even made it ten seconds into the song before the first pit erupted.
Ten seconds! Glasgow certainly wasn’t wasting any time.
The crowd immediately sprang into action, with bodies bouncing around the floor and fans shouting along to every word. I could already tell the security team and the Mad Crew were going to have their work cut out for them.
From behind the camera, it was fantastic to watch. There was movement everywhere, both on stage and in the crowd, and the atmosphere was exactly what you’d hope for from a band like Spineshank.
Jonny Santos was on tremendous form throughout the set. His ability to switch between harsh, aggressive vocals and cleaner melodic passages has always been such an important part of the band’s sound, and hearing him pull it off live was something else.
There was plenty of power in his voice, but what impressed me most was how comfortable he seemed moving between the different styles. Nothing sounded strained or forced, and he had no trouble getting the Glasgow crowd to respond whenever he wanted a little more noise.
The musicianship behind him was equally impressive. The guitars sounded huge, the bass gave everything a proper kick, and the drums drove the songs along with relentless precision. Together, they produced the sort of heavy, groove-laden sound that made Spineshank such a formidable band in the first place.
Meanwhile, the audience were having an absolute ball.
Middle fingers were flying in the air, crowd surfers were making their way towards the barrier, and the pits seemed to get bigger with every song. There was barely a moment when something wasn’t happening.
Normally, I’d have been tempted to get involved myself, but thanks to my earlier disagreement with the venue floor, that was definitely out of the question.
Considering I was already struggling to walk, standing anywhere near a circle pit probably wouldn’t have been my finest decision.
Still, I had a brilliant view of the madness through my camera lens, so I couldn’t complain too much.
As if Santos wasn’t already making enough noise on his own, he had another surprise up his sleeve when he invited DJ Pennell onto the stage for “The Height of Callousness”.
Pennell certainly didn’t need much encouragement. He got stuck straight in, delivering some seriously powerful roars alongside Santos and giving an already heavy song an extra bit of bite.
The two vocalists worked brilliantly together, trading lines and clearly enjoying themselves. It was great to see Santos sharing the stage with another vocalist who could match his intensity without either of them getting in the other’s way.
It was a cracking addition to the set, and judging by the reaction from the crowd, Glasgow was more than happy with the surprise. Those are the moments I love about live music. You can listen to the same song a hundred times, but occasionally something happens on stage that makes that particular performance stand out.
For all the aggression and chaos happening throughout the evening, there was also a genuinely lovely moment that showed a completely different side to the band.
It happened to be Jonny Santos’ birthday, and the crew had arranged a wee surprise for him in the form of a birthday cake brought out onto the stage.
It was a nice bit of fun, and Santos seemed delighted by the gesture.
Shortly afterwards, things took a more personal turn when he explained that his daughter had been unable to attend the concert because of the venue’s age restrictions.
He dedicated a song to her and asked everyone in the audience to take out their phones and switch on their lights.
Within moments, The Garage was filled with hundreds of little lights shining back towards the stage.
After spending much of the evening watching people throw themselves around the venue, it was quite something to see everyone come together for such a simple gesture.
It was a touching moment, and one that clearly meant a great deal to Santos.
I’ve always loved how heavy music can bring out such different emotions in people. One minute, you’ve got a room full of people screaming their lungs out and charging into each other. The next, they’re standing together with their phones in the air, sharing a moment like this.
It was lovely to witness, and certainly something I’ll remember from the night.
Of course, the peace and quiet wasn’t going to last very long.
This was Spineshank, after all.
There are certain songs that you just know are going to get a massive reaction, and “New Disease” was always going to be one of them.
As soon as those opening sounds kicked in, the place went absolutely mental.
The crowd were screaming along, the pit was in full swing, and there were bodies moving in just about every direction. It was brilliant.
I’ve heard “New Disease” countless times over the years, but there’s something very different about experiencing a song like that live, especially when you’re surrounded by people who clearly love it just as much as you do.
The band sounded fantastic, and Santos had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. For me, it was easily one of the highlights of the entire performance.
Then, just when I thought things couldn’t get much more ridiculous, we had a wall of death.
At the band’s encouragement, the audience split into two sides, leaving a sizeable gap down the middle of the floor.
You could see everyone getting themselves ready, bouncing on their feet and shouting across at the people opposite them.
And then off they went.
Both sides charged towards each other, and the whole thing descended into exactly the sort of chaos you’d expect.
It was an incredible sight from where I was standing, although I must admit I was feeling rather pleased with myself for staying well out of the way.
My poor foot had suffered enough for one evening.
I went into this gig looking forward to finally seeing Spineshank live, but I genuinely didn’t expect to enjoy the night quite as much as I did.
After so many years away from the stage, it would have been easy for the band to rely on nostalgia and let the songs do the work. Instead, they put on a performance that showed just how much they’ve still got to offer.
Jonny Santos sounded excellent, the band were incredibly tight, and the Glasgow crowd gave them the sort of reception that must make all those years away feel like a distant memory.
From the opening moments of “Asthmatic” to the absolute carnage of “New Disease”, there was barely a chance to catch your breath. DJ Pennell’s guest appearance was another welcome surprise, and the birthday celebration and dedication to Santos’ daughter added a lovely personal touch to an otherwise wonderfully noisy evening.
South of Salem deserve plenty of credit, too. They were a fantastic discovery for me, and I’ll definitely be making a point of checking out more of their music.
I’d also like to give a special mention to The Garage security team and the Mad Crew, who certainly earned their keep dealing with the constant stream of crowd surfers and everything else happening on the floor.
And, of course, another thank you to the gentleman who helped me after my rather unfortunate tumble. Much appreciated!
Looking back, it’s funny how the nights you haven’t planned can sometimes turn out to be the ones you remember most.
I arrived after a last-minute invitation and a miserable drive through a Scottish storm. I left having finally seen Spineshank, discovered another brilliant band and captured some fantastic moments with my camera.
Admittedly, I also left with a foot that had seen considerably better days.
Would I do it all again?
Absolutely.
Although next time, I might try staying on my feet.
Spineshank were outstanding, South of Salem were a brilliant surprise, and the Glasgow crowd were on fantastic form.
A cracking night of live music, even if I did end up limping home!
Spineshank: official | official links | facebook | twitter/X | instagram | spotify | youtube | tiktok
South of Salem: official | facebook | twitter/X | instagram | spotify | youtube | tiktok
