On February 19, The Paper Kites performed at SWG3 in Glasgow as part of their 2026 tour, with shows across Europe and the US well underway.
An Opener to Remember
Opening the night was Bess Atwell, who immediately held the room in a dreamlike trance. Bathed in warm orange tones, merely her angelic voice and guitar, the set unfolded with beautiful melodies carried by powerful vocals.
There was a gentleness to her voice that seemed to echo around the large, industrial room of the SWG3 Warehouse, encapsulating the ears of the crowd.
Image Credit: Courteney Pearson
Her songs of heartbreak and womanhood opened the night with grace and emotional clarity. “Nobody’s Meant For Me” was met with huge cheers, its intimate ache resonating deeply across the crowd.
Between moments of hushed admiration and swelling applause, Atwell demonstrated an eloquent, immense vocal talent. The room fell into near silence in awe many times throughout, before erupting in cheers as she closed her set.
Atwell was an opening act who didn’t merely warm the crowd, but who left a lasting impression on it. This is an artist I would rush to see again.
The Paper Kites Take Stage
The Paper Kites took the stage to mass applause, opening in stark white light, the ensemble sharing centre stage as one cohesive unit. Their stage presence was incredibly compelling.
Piercing guitar lines cut through gentle keys, while epic guitar solos soared.
Mid-set, Atwell rejoined the stage for an endearing, intimate acoustic duet. Sharing one microphone with lead vocalist Sam Bentley in a moment of genuine serenity that stripped the room back to its emotional core.
Image Credit: Courteney Pearson
The harmonies that followed felt perfectly placed, laying a gentle blanket over the crowd. There were moments of absolute silence around the room, everybody was suspended in collective awe.
Although there were still moments of elation from the crowd when fan favourites were played.
The set design of this show was marvellous. With the textured layers in the background and moments of simplicity in pure white light only, leaving the vocals and lyrics to speak for themselves when needed.
It was a set that balanced atmosphere with musicianship, leaving the room wrapped in longing after the final notes faded.
Feature Image Credit: Courteney Pearson
