TRNSMT PREVIEW | DECLAN WELSH & THE DECADENT WEST | INTERVIEW
Only days away from Scotland’s biggest music festival TRNSMT and we caught up with the band who will kick it all off on Friday – Declan Welsh & The Decadent West.
On track to release their second album ‘2’ later this year, the Glasgow band have seen a steady rise since their breakthrough 2019 record ‘Cheaply Bought Expensively Sold’. Declan Welsh and The Decadent West have gone on to sell out three back to back nights at Glasgow’s King Tuts in April last year then subsequently headlined The Barrowlands Ballroom to an even bigger sold out crowd in November.
Teasing fans with the melancholic EP ‘Impermanency’ just last year, the band have propelled themselves into their most sophisticated era yet. We caught up with Declan Welsh himself ahead of the bands TRNSMT opening set to find out how it feels to be fulfilling an iconic bucket list appearance.
So for those unfortunate enough to not be acquainted with Declan Welsh and The Decadent West yet, can you tell us who you are?
We are a sometimes 4 piece, sometimes 7 piece (depending on how big your stage is) band from Glasgow or thereabouts. We play guitar music that’s centred around melodic choruses and (hopefully) intelligent, compassionate lyrics about all sorts of stuff. We are openly leftist, our crowds are lively and we try to put on a show.
TRNSMT main stage opening act. How are you feeling about it all?
We are very excited. It’s setting the tone for Scotland’s biggest festival on the biggest stage so we feel it’s a nice recognition of both where we are but more importantly where we’re going.
What can spectators expect from your TRNSMT set?
We are very confident we will put on a great show and sound very good. You can expect dancing, talking, singing and loads of other verbs to happen.
You have a new album out later this year, how does it compare your 2019 debut?
It’s quite different whilst maintaining what our fans tell us they love about the tunes. The biggest difference is probably in the use of vocal harmonies. There’s layers upon layers of that in this and I’m super proud of how it sounds. The interplay between the voices is beautiful at points in it. The lyrical themes being more introspective and heavy than the first one. But there’s still big choruses and relatable patter.
How do you feel ‘2’ reflects your own growth as a writer?
‘2’ is very reflective of the two years we spent indoors, as it was written then, so it’s really interesting to see a snap shot of how I was feeling lyrically. There’s either very introspective pieces about being in my head or these outward looking pressed against the glass stories of people watching. Musically, I am so proud of the work everyone involved in has done. It sounds like the kind of album I would listen to, which is all you can ask for really.
Back to TRNSMT, will you be sticking around to watch the other bands? Who are you looking forward to seeing perform? Any recommendations?
I mean Pulp are my heroes so I will be very excited to see them play. Joesef are on after us and I’m very excited to see that. A shame we clash with Joy Hotel. Swim School will be great. I hate mentioning folk cause you’ll always forget someone but lets stick to that for now.
Finally, TRNSMT headliners (Pulp/Sam Fender/1975) Which ones would you Watch, Collab or Pass on?
Oooft. Harsh. I do respect and rate all 3 as live and recorded artists. Collab with Pulp straight away. 1975 put on a great show but I’d probably edge Sam Fender to watch so I’ll have to pass on 1975. Think they’ll live.
Declan Welsh and The Decadent West will be opening the three day music event on Glasgow Green on Friday 7th July at 12.15pm. A set not to be missed but if you can’t make it then you can catch the band on their UK & Europe tour which kicks off in November.
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