Bad Nerves - Glasgow Art School, 20th November 2025
Reviewed by Richie Adams • 22 November 2025
Fast music, that’s a punk thing, right? Unremitting speed, song after song, not a chance to draw breath – you need to get into training to go to the gigs. It's bands like the Ramones and Buzzcocks that spring to mind. The next generation, like Green Day and the Hives kept the vibe going but who’s next? Well, on Thursday night in Glasgow we got the answer to that question – Bad Nerves.
Glasgow Art School was a new venue for me. The room was a big square and held a capacity of 300; and a great room it was too. I reckon it was just about full to bursting on Thursday night.
Just on 9 o’clock the light went off and Bad Nerves appeared. Lots of smoke, little light and singer Bobby Nerves wearing his dark glasses. Bobby is the driving force in the band and responsible for writing the words and music for all their material.
What followed was a battering; 19 songs rammed into 60 minutes of pure joy and happy noise. This band are only two albums into their career, and we got both of them, at pace.
‘Television’ opened the night before two of my faves made an early appearance, ‘Don’t Stop’ and ‘Baby Drummer’. This was a night full of younger fans; the pit was moving constantly, and the floor was bouncing up and down. It was just like the punk gigs of old. A circle appeared, a very big circle, and just as the chorus of, what I think was ‘Jimmy the Punk’, started, crash the circle pit took off. It was mightly.
‘You Should Know By Now’, ‘Antidote’ and ‘The Kids Will Have Their Say’ took us to the end of the main set.
Now, this was my first gig back after a couple of months off. I have got myself two new hips. Whilst the head (and much of my body) said “seat” my heart said “pit”. It was only the wise and restraining hand of my mate Andy that kept me in one piece at the back – just before he darted off to join the throng for the encore numbers. ‘You’ve Got the Nerve’, ‘Can’t Be Mine’ and the fantastic ‘Dreaming’ took us home.
As the lights went up, I saw a sea of happy and very sweaty faces. What was great to see was very few old guys like me; this was a room full of young fans who were really up for it.
If punk music, or fast music, is to have a future, then the community needs to invest in bands like Bad Nerves. Fans need to buy their music, and promotors need to get them on festival bills. All too often punk promotors look into their rear view mirrors for inspiration. That’s important, of course the fans want to see the bands of their youth, but for their festivals to survive and for the scene to flourish, they need to look down the road a bit too. Band like Bad Nerves are the future and they need to be folded into plans.
There is no doubt this band have big plans of their own. They are already playing to bigger venues in the States and are about to head to Australia and Japan before Santa comes.
Bad Nerves are planning big things, if you like it fast, make sure you give them a listen soon and get to see them anytime they are in a place near you!