Missing out was a mistake

Hunter and the Bear, the Tolbooth, May 12

If you missed Hunter and the Bear in Stirling last week, you might struggle to see them here again.

That’s because it is likely that they will go on to bigger things after the release of their debut album.

The Stirling gig took place on the day that Paper Heart hit the stores, with the 10-track album reaching number eight in the iTunes rock charts that night.

The band - who have Scottish roots - were clearly in the mood to party, with singer Will Irvine telling the crowd that the gig is a night the band will never forget.

Storming early tracks such as You Can Talk, DRK and Renegade were delivered in a steadfast manner, with the amps turned up and floor shaking at a sold-out Tolbooth.

The set wasn’t without a few technical difficulties, with guitarist Jimmy Hunter struggling to get his levels right, leading to a bit of disruption to the band’s early momentum.

However Hunter and the Bear have the material to go far in the rock world - with heavy guitar rifts and reflective lyrics. Comparisons can be made to Royal Blood and even Queens of the Stone Age.

The band paid homage to their origins by asking the crowd to clear a space in the middle of the floor so they could perform an acoustic-cover version. They delivered a haunting cover of Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah urging the audience to singalong.

Highlights included Nickajack and Burn it Up, and don’t be too surprised if you are hearing more of Hunter and the Bear over the next few months.