The Void; I See Shapes; Lions. Chase. Tigers.

The BBC recently announced their hot musical tips for the coming year, and, with a similar eye on the future, The Journal makes its way to Henry’s Cellar Bar, where some hotly touted Scottish bands are on show. I arrive towards the end of the opening set from Lions.Chase.Tigers – a four piece from Stenhousemuir who look like they could still be studying for their GCSEs.

Their song ‘Pictures Memories’ encapsulates their style of performance – a heavy melody-laden track that contributes little new to the genre of alternative rock. The most obvious weakness lies in their vocals: their chart Indie-influenced accents dwindle uncomfortably into contrived American drawl far too often. Introducing their nameless final song, a guitarist announces: “This is for anyone who likes Aereogramme.” Even for their dedicated followers, this is too much. A tirade of unlistenable screams and instrument bashing later, and the band are thankfully off.

Things pick up with the next act, I See Shapes, apparently named in homage to Scottish indie proggers Idlewild. This influence is evident in some of the complex guitar plucking in songs like ‘Czech Please’ and in the thoughtful and abstract lyrics in numbers like ‘You Are More Than The Sum Of These Parts’. Otherwise, at their best, I See Shapes handle well-structured, delicate build ups, but frustratingly the boys lapse into melodramatic and predictable. On an aesthetic note, I'm perplexed by the odd arrangement of the band with the two vocalists either side of a seemingly stranded bassist, pushed awkwardly forward by the imposing drum kit.

Another half hour, and yet another four-piece guitar band tries their luck. The Void are tonight's headliners. Unfortunately, though, each alt-rock song sounds like the last, and ironically their big single, ‘Falling Backwards’, does just that. Frontman and bassist Ewan tries to engage with a crowd that lost its appetite for music two acts ago, and his desperate chirpy appeal to “smile! This is a smiley song!” sits oddly with the band’s black apparel and dark lyrics.

One hopes this gig isn’t representative of Scottish musical prospects for the coming year. The likes of Biffy Clyro have been able to break into the mainstream with great success, and maybe there is a niche market for this American-imported genre. But on the evidence of this show, that’s not the direction young Scottish hopefuls should be heading.