Scottish indie legends Sergeant returned to the stage after 15 years, delivering a powerful, energetic performance at Church Dundee that proved their second act might outshine their first.
In the hallowed space of Church Dundee, a musical resurrection took place as Scottish indie darlings Sergeant, absent from stages for over a decade, delivered a performance that was less comeback and more blistering return.
Gone are the Oasis Mod haircuts and the young bucks are now, as vocalist Nick Mercer described, OGs – old guys. It’s been 15 years since Sergeant decided to call it a day and turned their backs on full-time music. So the question was – can they still cut it?
Church was bustling as the band took to the stage, and the excited crowd pressed against the barriers. Most were original fans delighted to have an opportunity to see their heroes again.
As they kicked off, vocalist Nick, guitarist Scott Duncan, Bill Anderson on bass and Rory Buchanan behind drums and percussion looked wary and nervous as they lunged into Away with the Fairies. The Church is a challenging gig to play, even for guys who played Glastonbury, T in the Park and Wembley Arena. It’s a small room and the audience is in your face. Feedback is immediate and obvious.
Sergeant were tight, well-rehearsed and quickly recovered their swagger. By the second track, Swiftly Does It, it was as if the band had never been away. Nick’s voice, gravelly and deeper than when they recorded their eponymous album in 2009, was joined by passionate fans, and the years rolled away.
The quartet moved through their 90-minute set with the practised ease of veterans while maintaining the hunger of newcomers with something to prove. Scott’s jangling guitar is crucial to the band’s signature sound whilst Bill’s loping bass and Rory’s razor-sharp drumming drive their live energy
By the time they got to I Love It Here, they were in full flow and had the crowd stomping, dancing and singing along. The band had lost none of the urgency that had Oasis employ them as their support band back in the day.
Tonight and She Loves It were both crowd favourites, they sang every word leaving Nick grinning with delight at the response.
The main set closed with Shy, its extended outro a showcase for the band’s musicianship, still fresh after so many years.
The encore raised the roof with the group’s two singles, K-Ok and Sunshine, taking the energy to another level. The raucous crowd grooving, moshing and fist-bumping reached a fever pitch, crashing into the barriers by the end of the set.
Whatever drove their extended absence, their resurrection feels essential, not just for fans but for the 2025 music scene. It’s early days but, if this performance is any indication, Sergeant’s second act might just outshine their first.
Words and pictures: Graeme White @head_in_the_bass_bin