It’s a good sign when an up and coming artist already has a loyal fanbase, so when I, new to Dylan John Thomas’ music, was greeted by audience members with Glaswegian accents and curly wigs, wrapped in Scottish flags, I knew I was in for a night to remember. Despite having three Scottish dates on the tour, including a finale in his native city of Glasgow, Thomas’ fans had followed him to Newcastle as well.

Opening the show was Murdo Mitchell, who explained that he’d met Dylan on the Glasgow busking scene. I always notice that buskers are particularly good in Glasgow, and Mitchell is no exception. Playing a couple of impressive originals as well as covers including Oasis’ ‘She’s Electric’, he set the tone of a night showcasing some of Scotland’s most exciting new talent.

As soon as Thomas stepped onto the stage, the crowd’s energy level did not drop for one minute; whether they were moshing, screaming out his lyrics or swaying along when the tempo dropped, they were in the palm of his hand. It’s no wonder, too, because Dylan’s stage presence is electric; his live vocals knock his recorded ones - which are already bloody good - out of the park, and it’s dizzying to watch him kill it on the guitar at the same time. It’s normal for crowd to quieten for a couple of lesser-known songs, but everything he put out there received the reaction of a fan favourite.

The energy of the gig was so infectious that I couldn’t help but walk away a superfan, and haven’t stopped listening to Thomas’ music on repeat since. If he happens to be playing a gig near you any time soon, run, don’t walk!

Leanna Thomson