Rubikon Live at SWG3

Review By Darren McIntyre Images by Scott Anderson

Rubicon are a 5-piece rock ‘n’ roll juggernaut from Boston, Massachusetts, who delivered 4 albums between 2004 and 2019. The boys have had the pleasure of touring and opening for the likes of Disturbed, Black Label Society, DamagePlan, Sevendust, Shinedown & Nonpoint; they have also had their own headline slots. The boys are out on the road atm, and tonight they stop off at SWG3 in the rescheduled gig that didn’t happen. Fast forward 26 months and tonight we get to see ” The Greatest Opening Act Of All Time” Pt 2 from Jae Sims, and that’s a fact. I was fortunate to chat with Jae before the show, and we talked all things music, kids, life and the last time we met, 26 months ago. The boys are raring to go and have a new album out titled Wasteland, and I think we are going to get a host of songs from that new record plus a couple of oldies and a cool ass cover. please join me as I take in these 5 crazy mofos from Boston as they storm the stage and kick off with the rousing –

Live That Lie – A punchy bass kick flows from the outset as this grungy beast rears its head and lets us feel the swagger coming from this raging monster that is standing before us. The soaring vocals are rolling right to the back of the room as we get down and dirty with these boys as they give us a real night of thundering beats and epic bassline tones that we just can’t get enough of; the whole place is fixed on the stage as the boys clap and get us to join in and really get the groove moving. The tempo is a slowed affair that builds with the thundering snare drum punches as the groove gets louder and louder and gets these boys all fired up. The guys are smiling from ear to ear as they bounce around at tonight’s shindig, as Glasgow wanted rock ‘n’ roll, and believe me, we got it. the boys stride into new tracks from their new album Wasteland as we get the epic –

Chickfight – Kicking in the doors early for a Sunday as the boys bring a kind of Rage Against The Machine vibe to tonight’s proceedings as the place hits boiling point. The thundering drum kicks are filling the air as a funking bassline drops epic tones that let this monster come for us as the gravelly, rasping vocals pour from the front of the stage as Jae gives it his all. The shredding twin-guitar attack is ripping SWG3 a new one as the place is jumping around and fist-pumping to these Boston boys as they bring the heat to tonight’s proceedings. The stage is awash with super-talented musicians as they drop killer riffs that just get us all moist and ready for a night of grunge rock ‘n’ roll that will certainly see these boys back on our shores very soon; the place is rocking as the boys lead us onto the

Down – This is a fist-pumping, dirty, groove-laden beast that carries on where we left off with a thundering bassline that works so well with slick, clean guitar riffs that get this place rocking. There is a real ballsy beat from the rhythm section as they kick us where it hurts with a real awesome tone that is giving us just what we came for tonight. I will say that these boys have accomplished one thing tonight, and that is getting us Weegies on their side as they just rock out, throw epic grooves our way and get the hell out of dodge as they see us smiling from ear to ear with real joy on our faces as we have another new brand of rock brothers to welcome from the USA. The place is feeling the groove crash through Glasgow tonight, and we want more for sure. up next is –

Into – Welcome Mat – A fast-paced, foot-stomping, dirty, sludgy groove gets this awesome track off the ground as the place just feels the tempo change direction. You get punched straight in the face with the intense beat that is hitting us from the rhythm section as it brings solid snare drum beats that bring in killer basslines that let us feel the funk pouring towards us tonight. This is another new track, I believe, which is getting its first playthrough for us fine folk of Glasgow tonight. These boys have used everything in their arsenal tonight to bring us the best show they can, and boy, have they done good. the boys are bouncing around like 4 coiled springs with a colossal fixture in Doug as he bashes the hell out of his drum kit as the boys bring a good ole dose of Boston groove to us tonight as we roll into –

Stack & Jack – A rumbling monster track that keeps the grunge effect pouring through SWG3 as the boys continue where they left off with a thundering drum beat that really controls the direction of this epic track. Jae leans in and lets his gravelly, rasping vocals lead the charge of this bruising track as the boys shift through the gears and really come for us with all they have; the place is now getting warmed up to these boys, as I think most have not heard of these 5 titans as they come back after 26 months and take us on like this is the first time they’ve played. The boys are soaking up every morsel of noise from the sizeable Glasgow crowd as they take us on the journey with them as they give us wave after wave of pounding grooves that just put a smile on your face; the place is wanting more and more they get –

Lose It All – Soaring raspy guitar riffs punch a hole through SWG3 tonight as this thundering beast rears its head and gives us a real pounding beast to finish with tonight. The rhythm section is coming in with bass kicks that allow the snare punches in the room; they need to get us grooving tonight. Our gravelly, rasping vocals work well in this bass-driven track that just ploughs on through with deep, funking beats that let the rhythm section command the room with deep, gutsy tones that are letting the twin guitar licks do their thing as this track reaches its climax, an epic night of sludgy, groove-laden tracks that have given this outfit a whole new army of fans. The boys thank us for coming out and giving them a listen as we get some chat from Jae as he asks us to humour him for a minute; he says he fell in love with this band around 5 years ago and asked the boys to learn this track to go into the set. Kicking in with

Many Of Horror (Biffy Clyro Cover) – The soulful, mellow track kicks off with a pounding snare / bass kick as the vocals roll through the venue as Jae leans in and kicks off this colossal cover. He wanders around the stage and tells us he fucked up the lyrics, but like a trooper he carries on regardless, which really goes unnoticed. The twin guitar riffs echo all around us as this foot-stomping monster gets a makeover as the boys bounce around and really give us a night of killer grunge/rock that we won’t forget in a hurry. The place is really warming to my brothers as they take the applause, shouts and fist pumping as the track builds and builds as they deliver a real thought-provoking song that brings a huge round of applause as they leave the stage.