Teenage Fanclub at PJ Molloys Dunfermline

 

With a couple of festival shows in Germany and the Shine On Weekender coming up to round off 2022, Teenage Fanclub booked a warm up show at PJ Molloys in Dunfermline. 

After buying tickets, my sister announced her band Poster Paints were playing a stripped back support slot! Happy days. A chance to see two great bands in an intimate 350 capacity venue in Scotland's most recently crowned city.

PJ Molloys has a delightfully dark, grubby and homely vibe to it. Vintage Guinness posters adorn the walls and the bar leads to steps down to a lower level where bands play.

Poster Paints were supporting, just over a year on from their debut shows with Teenage Fanclub. Riding high on the heaps of positive reviews their recently released album has been gathering, the band stripped back from a 5-piece to a 3-piece for the night. 

This only highlighted the tender beauty of Still Got You and the fragile wonder of Hard To Sweeten, while Simon Lidell turned his guitar up an extra notch to stomp through the brilliant flowing pop of Falling Hard and Number 1. 

Then it was time for Teenage Fanclub.

The band absolutely ripped through their set. 90-minutes passed by in no time with the band clearly enjoying themselves on stage and playing in such an intimate venue.

Home was the best I have heard it. Guitars, bass and keys gelling superbly throughout, but particularly during the long outro. It really set the tone and pace. The band were straight into a romp through Warm Embrace and then Endless Arcade before unleashing old favourites About You and Alcoholiday.

The band were on fire, full of smiles and nods to each other and to the crowd. I Left A Light On was really beautiful while McGinley's Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From was greeted by hearty roars f=of appreciation.

Teenage Fanclub absolutely ripped through their set ... like teenagers! 90-minutes passed by in no time with the band clearly enjoying themselves on stage and playing in such an intimate venue.

We were standing in front of Stephen Black (Sweet Baboo) on bass and I really enjoyed watching him play. His Rickenbacker sound was an absolute delight, he seemed to be improvising at times and it added something for me. McCartney-esque at times. 

What You Do To Me was a burst of joy, I'm In Love a dazzling light of perfect guitar pop and The Concept was .... well it was The Concept. If heaven exists, and if I get there, I want the closing instrumental to be playing as I enter the gates.

Everything Is Falling Apart was utterly brilliant, the band threatened to jam on a little, Raymond's My Uptight Life was as poignant as ever.

Coming on to an encore, Norman handed out Tunnocks Caramel Wafers from the rider! Good fun!

Back In The Day is a real favourite, so it was fantastic to hear its flowing chorus in all its glory. Norman highlighted that the band wanted Songs From Northern Britain to be a double album and that Middle Of The Road should have been on the album anyway. It breaks down into a super catchy post chorus section.

Another guitar pop romp? Oh go on then. Norman introduced The Who's The Kids Are Alright and the band played with a zip and zest, Francis was really going for it Moon style. I thought he might have been given a rest afterwards, but after declaring 'what a fucking song' Norman then introduced Everything Flows with all 5 band members singing. A glorious end to a brilliant evening.

Teenage Fanclub played with a real 

This was Teenage Fanclub's first time playing in Dunfermline and the f