Live review: VNV Nation & Empathy Test at The Garage, 23/05/19

Image credit: David Oxley

Opinions can be divided when it comes to Ronan Harris and his alternative electronic project in my experience, but VNV Nation remains a household name in industrial scenes all the same. I recently joked about how seeing them live for the first time is like losing your VNV card because it’s true – at some point it has to be done to see what all the fuss is about. With Empathy Test supporting VNV Nation as they brought their Noire tour to the UK, their rescheduled date in Glasgow was an excellent opportunity to do just that.

7pm sharp may be an early start for most gigs, but in this case it’s worth it. Never ones to miss, Empathy Test are an electro-pop duo making waves with songs that are as catchy as they are emotive and sincere. I had their single ‘Seeing Stars’ stuck in my head all the way to the venue, and leaping up the stairs to ‘Incubation Song’ after they’d already started gets me so elated that it was actually worth arriving several minutes late for that feeling alone. Inside the main room, the fact that all three touring members are absorbed in the music makes it possible to be transported to another place altogether – while Isaac’s vocal range and focus take centre stage, Sam’s atmospheric synths and Chrisy’s pitch perfect percussion really gives their sound its heightened emphasis.

It’s a shame they aren’t given more than half an hour for their set, but they make it count anyway thanks to the heartbreakingly beautiful track ‘Bare My Soul’ and familiar favourites like ‘Losing Touch’. Isaac also humours us with “We’re Empathy Test from London, but don’t let that put you off’; after all, it’s good to know your audience, right? At any rate, Empathy Test just have a quality about them that’s endearing and it’ll be fantastic to see them finally headline their own shows alongside ACTORS this June.

Judging by the turnout, VNV Nation’s fanbase appear to be as devoted as ever as frontman Ronan Harris and three other members enter the stage ahead of their scheduled time.  After opening with ‘A Million’ and ‘Retaliate’, Ronan is quick to express his gratitude.  He’s quite a character too – having multiple private conversations with fans, personal friends and crew members alike, he instantly establishes a connection with the audience. It’s clear he wants everyone to have a good time, almost to a fault (he’ll probably rip into you if you don’t know the lyrics to a song and call you a ‘moody asshole’ if you’re not dancing – all in good faith, of course).

As for the music itself, it’s larger than life. ‘When is the Future?’ naturally gets a massive cheer, but VNV Nation take us on a journey to the past with their impressive back catalogue throughout the night as well. Be it old or new, fans sing along to every song in a way that suggests that the lyrical content resonates with them just as much as the music, and it’s not difficult to see why. While tracks like ‘Sentinel’ champion the potential of humankind, ‘Illusion’ serves as a reminder that you have a place in this world and even moves some people to tears.

Still, it’s the darker tunes that get us all going – from everyone chanting “Here we fucking go!” during ‘Chrome’ to the EBM dance beats and echoing effects of Ronan’s shouts in ‘Control’, Scotland’s biggest nightclub becomes a sea of hands in the midst of an incredible lightshow. We’re not the only ones in high spirits either – during one of his many speeches, Ronan exclaims “The ENERGY in here!” in that Irish accent of his before comparing the atmosphere to a party with friends. Eventually the time comes for the encore, and ‘Beloved’ and ‘Nova’ are prime examples of just how uplifting and bordering on spiritual VNV Nation’s music can be. Unfortunately, the only thing that interrupts the moment for me is being repeatedly harassed by a drunk guy, although my pals thankfully step in to help (fun tip: don’t be that guy!).

At last, a two-hour long set reaches a fitting end with ‘All Our Sins’, and as Ronan stands with outstretched arms to the dramatic sound of drums, his pose is like an embodiment of their acronym, Victory Not Vengeance. Ronan already summed it up best himself and people’s reactions afterwards confirmed it – this wasn’t just a gig but a show in every sense. Love them or hate them, VNV Nation are an unstoppable force whose reputation for putting on positive live performances is well-earned.