Careering through their greatest-hits catalogue with minimal fuss or unnecessary fanfare, Twin Atlantic’s homecoming gig was a resounding success. After a thorough warm-up led by local duo Saint Phnx, frontman Sam McTrusty and the boys didn’t need third gear to appease the rip-roaring Academy crowd, all 2500 of whom were delighted to welcome the band back to this venue after more than a decade away.

In a 19-song set that refused to skimp on any of the hits, lulls were few and far between. Though the anthemic likes of ‘Make A Beast Of Myself’, ‘Hold On’ and ‘Free’ piqued the crowd, it would have been hard to lose interest even in the calmer moments of their 90-minute set. McTrusty’s uniquely endearing Glaswegian falsetto shone on melancholy numbers like ‘Actions That Echo’, which was aired for the first time in nine years, while ‘Be A Kid’ provided the obligatory ‘lighters out’ moment. 

Clearly an ardent family man, McTrusty paused to dedicate ‘Brothers And Sisters’ to guitarist Ross McNae’s sister (a moment he admitted was ‘cringe’), before shouting out his own sibling Chloe who was watching from the balcony, and his mum, as he warned the crowd ‘don’t let big Shirley down’. When the time came for a grand finale, the inevitable ‘Heart And Soul’ crescendo did not disappoint, uniting the room without the need for ticker tape or confetti. 
Twin Atlantic play Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Saturday 27 July and are on tour Thursday 7 November–Sunday 24 November; reviewed at O2 Academy Glasgow.