Qulture Magazine

Words: Kenny Ross

Sleep Theory kicked off their 2026 UK and European headline tour on February 8 in Glasgow — originally meant for Oran Mór, but apparently Glasgow collectively decided “nah, we need more room,” and the whole thing got bumped up to the SWG3 Galvanizers because the tickets went faster than a seagull stealing your chips. Support came from The Pretty Wild, the fast rising alt rock outfit hopping along for the full UK/EU run.

The Pretty Wild came out like someone had dared them to be the most chaotic band in Scotland that night — and by God, they delivered. Imagine Avril Lavigne cloned herself while on steroids, and then formed a band heavily inspired by early Paramore. Not the polished, “we’ve discovered skincare” Paramore — I mean the unpolished, unhinged Paramore. They were pure pandemonium in the best way. Guitar swings, full body vocals, the kind of confidence that screams “we’ve no idea what a quiet indoor voice is”…neither do I, to be honest.

Halfway through their set, I nipped to the bar for a couple of pints with the photographer — because nothing bonds two “professionals” like shouting over industrial ventilation fans and trying not to spill your booze. We both agreed, between gulps, that The Pretty Wild aren’t going to be just an opening act for long. They’ve got the energy of a band who’ll happily headline your local venue, or possibly your funeral…– disclaimer, these are assumptions and not factual.

After grabbing a beer, I got back in the room for Sleep Theory taking to the stage, strutting out like a band who’ve realised their career is levelling up faster than a Weegie on Buckfast. And in fairness — every UK date got upgraded because they sold out in minutes (that is indeed a fact), so who can blame them for walking tall? Cullen Moore’s vocals were absolutely surgical: one minute soft and soulful like he was in Boyz2Men, the next minute belting it out, like he was trying to summon the rain outside to f**k off. Their signature blend of hard rock, metalcore bite, and pop hook sweetness filled the Galvanizers like it was built for exactly this kind of beautiful racket. Every chorus soared; every riff punched; every person screamed along, like they’d been rehearsing in the queue.

Then came the curveballs — and oh, they were glorious and unexpected. Out of nowhere, Sleep Theory fired into a nostalgia nuke with NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” (I may or may not know all the lyrics to this) , followed by a communal throat destroyer with Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer”, and then — the coup de grâce (googled that phrase, I feel so intelligent right now) — “Paper Heart” by Paramore, making every single millennial in the room ascend spiritually and emotionally. It was a fever dream of covers, somehow managing to be hilarious, wholesome, and genuinely brilliant all at once. My favourite was “Bye Bye Bye”, for undisclosed reasons…no, don’t ask me, like seriously.

Their own material from the album Afterglow still hit the hardest, mind. “Gravity” nearly took the roof off, with Glasgow belting it back in spectacularly questionable pitch. But enthusiasm beats accuracy every time — especially on a Sunday night, when most of us should’ve been prepping for work (for me, the fear of Monday had already kicked in) but instead were screaming lyrics, like we were at choir practice in hell and reliving our emo “phase” (I never grew out of that, I am sure I ain’t the only one!). Then came their song “numb” and everybody at the front got absolutely soaked – apparently it’s a Sleep Theory tradition, I am glad I was in the middle!

What made the night genuinely lovely, though, was the band’s gratitude & humbleness. First night of their first UK headline run, and you could see it on their faces between songs. Moore took a moment to thank the crowd, the crew, and The Pretty Wild, clearly buzzing at the sight of his Tennessee band packing out a wee Glasgow venue on a Sunday night  — something even seasoned acts sometimes can’t manage. Their whole presence was pure sincerity: hungry, humble, and tight as anything, the kind of performance that makes you want to see them again before they inevitably outgrow these rooms and start charging a minimum £100 a ticket!

By the end, it was obvious this wasn’t just a tour opener — it was a statement. Sleep Theory proved they’ve got the big chops, the heart, and the sense of fun to go much, much bigger. The Pretty Wild proved they’ll be headlining places themselves soon enough also. And I proved, once again, that I’ll absolutely abandon my spot in the crowd for a mid show pint if the moment calls for it. (Stop judging me….!). A great night. A room full of believers. A couple of pints (4 maybe). And the kind of gig that reminds you that Glasgow’s still one of the best cities on earth for live music — even if I’m Edinburgh through & through at heart –  I’ll deny saying that if you ever quote me on it so you can just ignore this part.

All in all, I will give this gig 4.5 out of 5 – deducting points for the Taylor Swift cover (it’s my choice, so shut up guys!) Go see these guys while they are still borderline on making it big time.