The Teenage Fanclub Fanclub at The Doublet

The Teenage Fanclub Fanclub is a community I joined via the bands old message board that was on their website for a long, long time. There was daily content from fellow fans from across the globe - long running threads, humour, politics, the odd dash of football, music recommendations and the running joke during spells of inactivity ... check the news page!

As was the case with so many message boards, things navigated towards social media and the Teenage Fanclub Fanclub Facebook group has brought even more people together!

Over time, I've met and become friends with many fellow Fanclub Fanclub members. It's a very friendly and supportive community.

The Fanclub Fanclub has recorded a number of tribute albums over the years. I'm delighted and proud to have played a part in the recent What They Do To Me trilogy of tributes. Volume 3 (post Creation years, solo and side projects) came out earlier this year, largely thanks to the drive and patience of Gill Ross, along with the brilliant Mark Rolfe of Winnetka Records and a pool of talented fans.

Gill was determined to bring everyone together for a launch party and yesterday it happened! What an amazing day of music, friendship, community and generosity for a good cause. Proceeds from the album (available by donation), ticket sales and raffle proceeds all went to Tiny Changes.

Here is a little blog on what happened.

Bands assembled from 1pm and there was time for quick line checks, with the very lovely Kenny doing a grand job on sound engineer duties. Doors opened at 2.30pm and after a nice Guinness Zero and a blether outside in the sunshine, I was back in for Michael Vickers, who has designed the covers for the What They Do To Me trilogy, starting things off. 

Michael goes under the guise of My Cover Story and he chose his covers well - including Alison's Starting To Happen and Rudderless by The Lemonheads, Thirteen and The Ballad of El Goodo by Big Star. Michael's fingers danced effortlessly up and down his guitar and he also made clever use of a loop pedal.

Covering Slow Fade and Getting Real by Teenage Fanclub was joyful, but there was a surprise! Duglas T Stewart of the BMX Bandits joined Michael for a beautifully tender take on Serious Drugs. December closed a cracking set.

What a start to the day!

Seahorse Migration (amazing band name!) were on next. The duo of Neil and Matthew created some beautiful music, playing some of their own songs, some covers I didn't know - to the extent I messaged Neil to get his setlist, some I did and a couple of Fanclub numbers. 

Seahorse Migration setlist

Sweet Days Waiting (Fanclub), Survival Car (Fountains of Wayne), new song (namesless and original), Gun (Uncle Tupelo), Waving (Bevis Frond), another new song (also nameless and original), Head Rolls Off (Frightened Rabbit), Every Sweet Soul (Tobin Spout), Up The Wolves (Mountain Goats) and Speed of Light (Fanclub).

Seahorse Migration's take on Frightened Rabbit's Head Rolls Off was sublime, soulful and very apt given our choice of charity. Here we all were, alive, and making tiny changes to earth.

Neil, hailing from the Isle of Lewis, sounds amazing when he talks, even better when he sings. His friend Matthew on lead guitar coaxed all kinds of shimmery sounds and riffs. It was a lovely set and I hope he names and records his original songs. Check their covers. The Fountains of Wayne song is ace.

Next up was Beckie Rahman and friends, also known as the lo-fi hi 5. They recorded a swoon-y take on Lightships Sunlight To The Dawn for volume 3. It's very possibly my favourite Lightships song and I loved their chilled take on it. 

Joined by friends Sheila McConnell on harmonies and tambourine and Mairead Hughes Green on penny whistle, the lo-fi hi 5 melted hearts with their covers of The Beatles Blackbird and Something - helped out by the crowd for the guitar solo on the latter.

Planets by Teenage Fanclub oozed the kind of warmth required for a Sunday afternoon down the pub in November. Gorgeous. Beckie's friends had come over from Ireland and it is safe to say that they loved Glasgow and it was great when Mairead won a couple of prizes in the raffle later on. 

On to headliners Broken by Rock who had the added bonus of live drums to take things up a notch. Their set was laden with Fanclub songs to please the crowd.  

Broken by Rock setlist

Candyfloss (Jonny), Older Guys (Flying Burrito Brothers/Teenage Fanclub), It's All In My Mind, Start Again (Fanclub), Videostore (original), Radio (Fanclub)

Candyfloss off the superb Jonny album, that Norman and Euros released way back in 2011, got things off to a flyer with Alan's wife Rachel singing harmonies and backing vocals. Alan (guitar and vocals), Andrew (bass) and Derek (drums) raced through the set with a real zip. Videostore (blogged on here) may be my alt pop song of the year. It's super catchy and had people singing a-long. While Radio was an absolute joy - guitar power pop perfection. Alan has a naturally melodic voice and can turn his hand to anything - a top guy and musician.

Alan, Derek and I recorded under the guise of Acer Trees for the third of the tribute albums. I do hope to record an EP or mini-album of originals with them one day. We have exchanged demos.

In the meantime, I got to join Broken by Rock for a 4-song set of; Mellow Doubt, So Far Gone, Crush On You and then The Charlatans classic The Only One I Know. The trio are excellent musicians and it was a joy to practice and play with them. 

I was having fun with Jad Fair and the Fanclub's Crush On You and pointed to people in the crowd while singing I've got a crush on you ... only to turn and point to Alan's daughter! And then his wife! Very funny!A funky skiffle busk through The Only One I Know seemed to go down well with Alan, Andrew and Derek locking into the groove.

There was just time to play a suitable song to end the day. Broken by Rock were joined by members of two of Glasgow's hottest young bands - Ben and Christopher from Fatale and Becky from Vanderlye for harmonies, while Rachel was back for some melodica action.

Fatale (09/01) and Vanderlye (24/01) have both just announced headline shows at King Tuts in January.

The Concept is quintessential Teenage Fanclub. The guitars, the melodies, the harmonies, the humour ... Broken by Rock and guests captured all of that and more. Del's mini drum solo to usher in the extended outro was glorious. It was a fitting end to a very memorable day.

We have raised over £1,000 for Tiny Changes through album sales (donations), tickets and the raffle. I'll update this total once it is confirmed.

Thanks to all who contributed to the trilogy (we need to make it a quadruple - right?!), donated money and prizes, came down to The Doublet and got up and played.