Vianova
Special Guests: Shields
Venue: The Garage Attic, Glasgow.
Date: 4th February 2026
Review & Videos: Dave Buchanan
Shields
Shields rolled into The Attic with the confidence of a band fresh off releasing Death & Connection, and as main support to Vianova they delivered a set that was tight, polished, and clearly well‑rehearsed. I’ll be up-front and say I’m not overly familiar with the band, but it was clear they knew exactly what they’re doing onstage, and did it with conviction. For me, though, the set landed somewhere in the middle. Nothing to do with the performance itself, but because their brand of metalcore sits a little too squarely within the genre’s established framework that it didn’t always surprise.
The new material from Death & Connection came across with real strength. The riffs hit hard, the vocals were sharp, and the band’s chemistry was obvious. Bodies around me were fully locked in, and it was easy to see why. Shields have a knack for writing songs that feel built for the live environment, and those tracks carried the set’s momentum.
Older tracks like Bury Me and It’s Killing Me seemed to slot in fairly seamlessly, and the crowd reaction made it clear that long‑time listeners were getting exactly what they came for. For my own tastes, the back‑catalogue moments felt pretty conventional, although well delivered. It’s the kind of thing where you can appreciate the craft even if it doesn’t fully resonate.
The Attic’s intimate space amplified both the intensity and the precision of their playing. When the breakdowns hit, they hit hard. When the melodic passages opened up, the room responded. Shields are undeniably good at delivering the sound they’ve carved out for themselves. I just found myself wishing for a few more left‑turns or unexpected moments to elevate the set beyond the genre’s usual contours.
Still, the band’s professionalism and passion were obvious throughout. Even if the show didn’t break new ground for me personally, it’s clear why Shields have built a loyal following, and why Death & Connection is giving them real momentum 
(3 / 5)
Vianova
By the time Vianova stepped onto the stage, the Attic had fully packed-out. It was one of those nights where you could feel the heat rising off the crowd before the first note even landed. As soon as they started to slip into Squier Talk, it was obvious why the show had sold out.
Most of the set was built around their new album, Hit It!, and those songs landed exactly the way you want them to in a room this size. The band played with a level of precision that never felt clinical; everything was sharp, but there was still plenty of grit in the delivery. You got the sense they were genuinely enjoying themselves, and that energy carried straight into the crowd.
The audience didn’t need any warming up. From the first chorus, people were moving, shouting along, and throwing themselves into every shift in tempo. The band fed off it, and the room fed off them—it was one of those mutually reinforcing loops that make small‑venue shows feel special.
The Hit It! tracks sounded incredible, but it was also nice to hear the band dip back into their 2022 EP for Hypersomniac. It slotted into the set naturally, and hearing it alongside the newer material made it clear how much they’ve tightened and expanded their sound since then. It was a nice nod to their earlier work without breaking the flow of the night.
What really pushed the show into standout territory was the musicianship. Whether it was the rhythm section locking everything down or the guitar work weaving in and out of the heavier moments, the band sounded like they were operating on instinct. Even when the room’s acoustics got a bit messy, as they occasionally do in the Attic, their playing cut through. If there was anything holding the night back from a perfect score, it was the occasional moment where the mix struggled to keep up with the sheer volume and intensity. But those were minor blips in an otherwise commanding performance.
Vianova walked off to a room that clearly wanted even more (1 “encore” wasn’t enough), and it felt deserved. This was a band playing with confidence, clarity, and a real sense of momentum. I’ve no idea what direction they are heading after this album, but they’re on a strong path; and Glasgow got a loud, sweaty reminder of that 
(4.5 / 5)
