LIVE FROM THE PIT: Ad Infinitum, Skarlett Riot and Secret Rule
- Zuzanna Pazola
- Apr 27
- 5 min read
On paper, a three-band bill in a venue the size of Glasgow’s Slay might read like a fairly standard night out. In reality, April 24th delivered something that felt far bigger than the room could reasonably contain. With AD INFINITUM making their Glasgow debut alongside support from SKARLETT RIOT and SECRET RULE, this was a stacked lineup that never once dipped in energy.
First up, SECRET RULE wasted absolutely no time setting the tone. From the first few moments, it was clear their sound was locked in - big, driving riffs paired with tight, polished instrumentals that filled the room with ease. It’s not always a given that the first band of the night can pull a crowd in properly, but here, the engagement was immediate and genuine.
A big part of that came down to the band’s presence on stage. There was a sense of real enjoyment in what they were doing, and it translated effortlessly into the audience. Vocalist Angela Di Vincenzo stood out in particular, not just for the strength of her voice, but also for the level of control she maintained while constantly in motion. It’s one thing to sound good standing still; it’s another entirely to keep that consistency while bouncing across the stage. Closing song Echoes of the Earth felt particularly impressive, as she spent the whole time jumping and encouraging the crowd to do the same, while still maintaining incredibly steady vocals.
Small touches helped cement the connection too, like tossing a T-shirt into the crowd and getting the crowd to join in with a celebratory chant at the end of their set. They might seem minor, but added to the overall feeling of a band that understood how to work a room. By the end of their set, they’d done more than just warm things up, they’d set a genuinely high bar.
If SECRET RULE laid the groundwork, SKARLETT RIOT came in ready to push things further. Heavier, sharper, and completely self-assured, their set hit with immediate impact. The vocals were a standout from the start, powerful and aggressive when needed, but still controlled, and backed by instrumentals that leaned fully into that heavier edge.
There was a clear portion of the crowd already familiar with their material, which only added to the atmosphere. Tracks like Paralyzed had people completely hooked, with chants echoing back towards the stage, while Limits showcased just how effective their heavier moments could be in a live setting. What really elevated the set, though, was frontwoman Chloe “Skarlett” Drinkwater’s presence. She carried the kind of confidence that didn’t rely on the audience already knowing the songs. Whether you were hearing them for the first time or not, you were pulled in. That ability to command attention is hard to fake, and it made a noticeable difference in the room.
A slower moment during Luminate shifted the mood briefly, with a sea of phone lights rising across the room. It didn’t stay subdued for long though, building quickly back into something far more energetic. It was a smart bit of pacing in a set that was otherwise relentless throughout. By the time they wrapped up, the energy in the room had climbed to another level entirely; exactly where you’d want it heading into a headline act.
Headlining sets don’t always justify the buildup. This one did, and then some. Before AD INFINITUM even stepped on stage, TOTO’s Africa rang out across the venue, setting a strangely perfect tone: a bit tongue-in-cheek, a bit celebratory, and a clear sign that this wasn’t going to be a stiff, overly serious performance. What followed was a set that leaned fully into drama, intensity, and sheer stamina.
Running through a massive setlist of about twenty songs, the band barely paused from breath. The pacing was fast, but never rushed. Each track landed with purpose, and the transitions kept momentum high throughout. Interludes were used sparingly but effectively, giving both the band and crowd just enough time to resent before diving straight back in.
Vocally, the performance was on another level. MELISSA BONNY’s seamless switches between clean and harsh vocals weren’t just technically impressive, they were consistent across the entire set. Songs like My Halo, one of the early standouts of the night, had the crowd shouting along at full volume, with the chorus hitting especially hard in such a packed room. Moments later, those same sections would pivot into heavier territory without losing any clarity or power. That level of control over such a long set with so little downtime is no small feat, especially given how demanding some of the material is. It didn’t drop even once.
Instrumentally, every member held their own, but what stood out most was how cohesive the band felt as a unit. There’s a difference between just playing together and being fully dialled into each other, and this was firmly the latter. Even small details, like a standout guitar solo towards the latter half of the set, felt purposeful, breaking things up just enough without killing the flow. The crowd, meanwhile, gave everything they could. A near-constant push pit held down the front, while the rest of the room stayed just as engaged in their own way. Between songs, the cheers barely dipped, and there was a clear sense that this was a fanbase that had been eagerly awaiting this moment. Given that this was AD INFINITUM’s first time playing Glasgow, the reception couldn’t have been much stronger.
Tracks like Animals leaned fully into the heavier side of their sound, with crushing vocals that hit just as hard live as they do on record. Elsewhere, Outer Space brought a more dramatic edge, balancing melody with weight in a way that kept things dynamic deep into the set. Even lighter moments weren’t really “light”, for long; everything carried a massive sense of scale. There were flashes of playfulness too, though. One moment saw bassist Korbinian Benedict encouraging the crowd to dance and shake their hips, loosening things up just enough before diving straight back into something heavier. It’s that mix of control and personality that kept the set from ever feeling one-note.
Closing with Into The Night felt fitting. By that point, the energy hadn’t dipped in the slightest. If anything, it had steadily built towards that final push. The crowd gave everything they had left, and the band matched it. If there was one lingering thought by the end of the night, it’s that this felt like a show slightly outgrowing its surroundings. Not in a way that detracted from the experience, as seeing it in such an intimate setting made it more memorable, but in a way that suggests something bigger is coming.
For a first Glasgow show, it’s hard to imagine a stronger statement.
Words: Zuzanna Pazola
Photos: Amy Lynch
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