The Lemon Twigs - Glasgow QMU - 29 May

Rock from Long Island, New York

Story by Adam Hamill

04/06/2026

This isn’t the first time Queen Margaret Union has welcomed The Lemon Twigs to Glasgow and I hope it won’t be the last. This was my third time seeing the Twigs and I really mean it when I say that they just keep getting better.

Opening for the band were The Stones (no, not those Stones), a New York City based group who I’m really sorry to say I missed as I may or may not have slept through my alarm (courtesy of working a delivery shift that same morning). From the energy of the crowd by the time I’d got there I can only assume that they rocked the place. The audience was getting that shifty and anxious way before The Lemon Twigs graced the union’s stage but as soon as the four appeared the crowd were in the palms of their hands. The Twigs are touring their new album, “Look For Your Mind!”, which I reviewed when it was released last month, so it comes as no surprise for me to say how exciting it was to see their new tracks live. Opening with the album’s title track the psychedelic jam perfectly set the tone of the evening. Even though the group haven’t been around for a long time, the setlist, not including their new tracks, played what felt like a greatest hits compilation. This is the tightest I’ve ever heard the Twigs sound and they’ve always sounded like a really tight unit. The highlights for me included “In My Head”, my favourite Lemon Twigs tune, which hearing live blows me away every time with the gorgeous four-part harmonies. Getting to hear their latest single, “2 or 3” was so great. If their studio albums showcase how impressive their skills in the booth are, I can only assure you that the talents of the D’Addario brothers and company is second to none live.

As I mentioned in my album review, a surprise standout for me was “Joy”, so I really can’t stress enough how beautiful it was to have the first half of the encore be two acoustic performances by half of the songwriting duo, Brian D’Addario. He played both “Joy” and “Corner of My Eye” from 2023s “Everything Harmony” on a twelve-string guitar. After this Brian was joined by the rest of the band, who informed the crowd that the inaugural gig at QMU was played by Birmingham’s The Move. To honour this, the Twigs thundered into a cover of “I Can Hear the Grass Grow”. Much like I imagine happened with The Move, the walls of the venue shook with how much they went for it. By they, I mean both the band and the crowd. If you ever get the chance to see The Lemon Twigs I’d urge you to do so, they’re a live act like no other right now.