It’s a miraculously sunny evening in Glasgow, mild and blue skied and the outdoor venue of Kelvingrove Bandstand is completely sold out. Nestled in Kelvingrove Park the bandstand provides an intimate outdoor setting for Future Islands, a band who according to lead singer Samuel T Herring have been around for 18 and a half years and have performed over 1300 shows.

Before the main event solo artist Joon opens the show. With her synthesised backing tracks, wild head shaking dance moves and strong, unique voice that sometimes is reminiscent of Bjork, she is the perfect choice to get things started. She manages to engage and interact with the smaller pre-main show audience expertly and delivers a fresh, fun performance. She later joins Future Island on stage to perform Shadows where she matches and amplifies the energy from the band, truly holding her on and making the song her own while managing to blend in skilfully with the rest of the band.

As Joon exits and Future Islands take the stage and launch into two hours of unwaveringly excellent music, it’s clear that their nearly two decades of experience has done nothing to dull the enthusiasm, energy and charisma of the band’s live performances. Lead singer Herring performs as if it’s his first and last night on stage.

From the first chords of King of Sweden to the last moments of Little Dreamer he springs into action and stays in a state of excited agitation. The tone changes,  sometimes he is on all fours growling and pretending to tear off his face, next he’s springing around high kicking and spinning around the stage while grinning manically and pointing at the audience, who respond with equal fervour. He is magnetic and it is impossible to look away. Yet despite the oversized nature of his movements his performance feels natural. The dance moves and showmanship never come across as forced and there’s a genuine charisma and authenticity to his actions and vocal flair that makes the performance surprising and entertaining.

The rest of the band remain firmly in the background, allowing Herring to cavort as they perform with precision and expertise. The intricacies of the songs, little synth flourishes or drum work, which may be overlooked on the album, are all the more obvious and impressive in person.

From the roaring growls of his vocals to the sublime crackling rasp during slower songs, Herring’s voice is unique and utterly intriguing. Slightly let down by the sound system which adds a fuzziness and loses the sharpness and precision of the performance, he still manages to inject emotion into every syllable.

The interludes between songs are filled with Herring, in a drawling American lilt, regaling the audience with snippets from his childhood; “I miss being a kid, when I knew everything, you know what I mean?” It might appear trite, but with the lopsided grin and eyebrow raised sincerity he delivers it with, it is genuinely charming.

The bands most popular songs, including Light Houses and A Dream of You and Me, are excellently performed with intensity and passion that far surpasses the experience of listening to the recordings, however the stand out tracks are from the new album. The opening two songs King of Sweden and The Tower set the tone for the whole evening, one of wide-eyed wonder at how live music, when done this well, can transport you and become a place of pure escapism and joy.

The standout song is Seasons (Waiting on You), with Herring ducking and weaving across the stage, screaming and jiving as the entire front of the audience jump with him. The band were rewarded rightfully with at least a minute of cheering and applause before they continued.

Future Islands are a spectacle, devouring their two hour set and leaving the audience screaming for more; they are transcendent. Combining a whirlwind of a frontman with emotional, complex songs they provide an incredible live experience and should not be missed.