Scottish music scene in 2017

What will 2017 bring to the Scottish Music Scene? This blog focuses on a number of things I'll be looking out for through the year. There will no doubt be a number of surprises as well but read on for links to festivals, labels, bands, videos, songs and albums......

Festivals

T in the Park - what is the future/is there a future?
We should know the answer to the question hanging over the Scottish music scene by September/October; will T in the Park return in some shape or form in 2018? By that stage DF Concerts will have assessed their Glasgow Green shows (see below), along with the usual Bellahouston shows. They'll also have assessed site options and potential hoops they have to jump through, and considered if they have the desire to jump through them. The DF team will definitely miss T, however, if their Glasgow Green, Bellahouston and stadium shows all sell well then they might not miss the cash.

Will Scotland miss T? Well I never thought I would say this, but I don't think too many will. Times change and 2017 is set to be a year that emphasises that more than most.

Glasgow Green 8-10 July
Radiohead are already confirmed for one of the nights at Glasgow Green, Coldplay are rumoured to be another. Who else could come and sell out that kind of venue? I'd love to see a double bill of Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem but that is likely to prove wishful thinking - I'll settle for seeing them grace the Barrowland Ballroom again - if I can get tickets!

Electric Fields 1st-2nd September 2017
Electric Fields jumped up to 2-days with relative ease and now that T and Wickerman have been removed from the calendar this presents a real opportunity for the boutique festival to firmly establish itself. 2016 was delightful - the location and setting is beautiful, the atmosphere was exceptional and the line-up eclectic in all the right ways. Do they stick with the 5,000 capacity or look to increase?

Kelburn Garden Party 30th June - 3rd July 2017
Kelburn is another festival that could make a real statement in 2017. It has been becoming increasingly popular through word of mouth. For fellow Glaswegians it is exceptionally easy to get to, it has a real eclectic line-up and seems equally family and raver friendly.

The Kelburn Garden Party 2016 - Official Aftervideo from Kelburn Garden Party on Vimeo.

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival 3rd-5th August 2017
Franz Ferdinand, Sister Sledge and KT Tunstall have already been announced for the Tartan Heart Festival; 3 fantastic festival acts. The festival usually sells out and these acts are bound to ensure that happens again. Get your tickets fast if you are interested.

The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award

The SAY Award is going from strength to strength, highlighting the rich artistic talent that our small country has to offer the world. Anna Meredith won the 2016 award with her Varmints album, beating off competition from the likes of FFS, Emma Pollock, Young Fathers and Chvrches.

The likes of Meredith, Kathryn Joseph (2015 winner) and previous shortlisted contenders like Happy Meals have really benefited from the exposure generated from this award. I always look forward to the longlist being announced so I can check out loads of interesting music.

Labels

Last Night From Glasgow - Founded in 2016, LNfG had an incredible first year (even if I do say so myself). 7-inch singles by Mark W Georgsson, Emme Woods and Be Charlotte, a USB credit card album by Stephen Solo, gatefold vinyl album by TeenCanteen, USB slap wrist band by BooHooHoo and some digital releases as well! All on top of having 150 members! Our members got all of that music plus invites to launch shows all for £50 per annum.

As a co-founder and board member of LNfG I know that we have some incredible stuff planned for 2017 beginning with the release of Mark W Georgsson's stunning Faces and Places album in January. We celebrate our 1st anniversary with a show at Stereo on 30th March with BooHooHoo headlining and further guests set to be announced in the near future.

Fuzzkill Records - As the label who first released Catholic Action and Spinning Coin, fans of indie/punk/pop/grunge will be looking to see who Fuzzkill unearth next. They clearly have a great ear and good taste and I look forward to hearing what 2017 brings.

Olive Grove Records - I always keep an eye on Lloyd's label. 2016 was productive with the release of Homemade Lemonade by Ette receiving huge plaudits, including being named in the top 5 albums on Bandcamp for 2016. There were also setbacks with Woodenbox calling it a day but Lloyd's taste and nature will ensure he unearths something new - I look forward to finding out what that might be.

Geographic - read on for mentions of Spinning Coin's album and The Pastels archive project. 2017 could be a busy one for Stephen and Katrina's label.

Song by Toad - are buoyed by the return of Meursault and the success of the Modern Studies Swell to Great LP so enter 2017 in a rich vein of form.

Nightschool Records received a fair bit of money from me last year as I bought releases by Happy Meals, Molly Nilsson and Rose McDowall. They clearly like their pop music, although you can dig deeper for more alternative releases. Definitely a label to watch and Happy Meals will be releasing a summer album - perfect!

Scottish Fiction released the magnificent Mt.Doubt In Awe Of Nothing album in 2016 and have already announced plans for a split 7-inch with Mt.Doubt and ForeignFOXX

Indie / DIY action

TeenCanteen ended 2016 by heading into La Chunky studio to record some new songs. They will hopefully be making an announcement on a release in the near future. The band had an excellent 2016 with heaps of praise on their debut album Say It All With A Kiss and if they can follow that swiftly then the momentum will continue to build.

Spinning Coin brought out their debut single in 2016 on The Pastels Geographic label and followed that by heading North to Helmsdale to record an album with Edwyn Collins. With the approval of two legends from the Scottish indie scene it is safe to say that a few people are looking forward to this release. Stephen Pastel wrote on the Teenage Fanclub forum that their debut single Albany reminded him of the feeling he got from The Boy Hairdressers as they turned into Teenage Fanclub. Their recent tour with the Fanclub definitely won them a number of fans.

Catholic Action had an excellent 2016 with the re-release of L.U.V and the follow up Rita Ora. Teenage Fanclub also took this band out for a few dates and an album must surely be in the pipeline.

Gerry Cinnamon certainly hasn't rushed his debut album, but does he need to? Demo's and videos of songs from live shows are ensuring the word of mouth buzz surrounding him continues to build. Gerry sold out the ABC at the end of 2016 and I wouldn't bet against him headlining the Barrowland in 2017. We will hopefully get the album though - the demand is there!

Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5 have already played the Barrowland and ended the year by also selling out the ABC. They are my favourite live band in Scotland due to the sheer positivity and good feeling they generate. The band and crowd become one and you are guaranteed to leave a live show with a smile on your face. I hope to be recording a guest podcast with the Colonel and his loyal lieutenant in the near future.

Major Breakthrough?

A number of Scottish acts have signed for major labels over the last few years; White, Kloe, Model Aeroplanes, Fatherson, Neon Waltz..... none have broken through. Two (White and Neon Waltz) have been dropped.  Fatherson are in for the long haul and Kloe and Model Aeroplanes are young enough to still do something if they are given time write (or be given) a song(s) to break them. Think of the way Chvrches exploded on to the scene with a string of singles.

Will any Scottish acts snapped up by a major in 2017? It is becoming increasingly difficult, not only to get signed, but to break through. Who are the contenders?

Saint PHNX - seem poised for a deal after Radio 1 airplay, the use of their songs in major sporting events including the CL final, a publishing deal for singer Stevie Jukes, crazy Spotify action and by making all the right moves including securing a fantastic managerial team. I've been singing the praises of Stevie Jukes as a major label writer and star for some time. Will 2017 be his breakthrough year with Saint Phnx? If so he is ready.

Be Charlotte - there has been a load of hype about Be Charlotte - an incredibly talented young 19 year old from Dundee. I spoke with Charlotte at the launch of her Machines That Breathe single and was impressed with her down to earth attitude, work ethic and her talent. At one point she stepped to the front of the stage and sang acapella - it was stunning. Charlotte is sassy, stylish and she has time on her side and also an ever increasing stockpile of songs. I expect 2017 to be another busy year and more forwards progression for the youngster.

K V A S I R - the debut EP by K V A S I R was the most sublime release by a Scottish artist in 2016. I know that he has much more recorded. I wouldn't be at all surprised if a major label or highly established indie came in to give him the platform his music richly deserves. He plays King Tut's on Thursday 5th January.

More from

2016 was a productive year for a lot of bands I have been following for a long time, that looks set to continue in 2017, with 5 long term favourite Scottish bands of mine set for releases and touring throughout the year

Teenage Fanclub
TFC follow up the success of the Here album by continuing to tour in promotion. After hammering September-December, the Fannies return after a festive break with a European tour followed by a jaunt to Japan and Australia. Norman Blake has also promised West Coast of America dates and a number of festivals have been confirmed. Will they play a Scottish festival? Or make a welcome return to Kelvingrove Bandstand? Watch this space...

Jesus and Mary Chain
JAMC follow their reunion and Psychocandy shows with a new album Damage and Joy, due for release at the end of March. This will be the Reid brothers first album since 1998. Expect shows, festivals and lots of media if Alan McGee has anything to do with it.

Belle and Sebastian
The Belles have been recording and from Stuart Murdoch's tweets and online diary it sounds like it will be released via a string of EP's rather than an album. This points towards a prolonged burst of activity but at a pace controlled by the band. I expect some secret shows, special shows and lots of great stuff. The band have already announced a show at Chelsea Royal Hospital in June, so expect a release before or around then with other dates to come.

The Pastels
I've been so busy lately that I haven't been into Monorail for ages! Last year Stephen Pastel informed me that he was working on an archive project for the band. This involved sourcing a lot of old recordings and confirming who owns what. The Pastels have a rich catalogue of material crying out for a reissue and reappraisal. Fingers crossed they can get the paperwork/legal stuff sorted and we get some releases, press (Stephen's musical taste and knowledge really comes across) and shows.

I only discovered this early Creation release by The Pastels last year

Million Tears is guitar pop perfection 

BMX Bandits
I was fortunate to spend a lovely sunny afternoon with Duglas last summer and also met him at several shows and events after that, so I know that he has been recording with Stuart Kidd amongst others. I look forward to hearing what they have come up with and to seeing them with TeenCanteen as part of Independent Venue week in January when they play the Bungalow in Paisley on January 23rd. EVENT INFO HERE

The East End Social and Edwyn Collins at Glasgow Green

I last blogged about Edwyn Collins back in June following an outstanding performance at Oran Mor. In the blog I said that I would love to see him do a full stripped back acoustic set at some point.

Well the Gods must have been smiling upon me as on Saturday Edwyn travelled North to play an acoustic show for the East End Social at Glasgow Green as part of the Commonwealth Games. Not only that - it was completely free!

The team behind the East End Social must be heartily commended for the exceptional programme of music that they have curated before, during and after the Games. There have been pop up shows in Dennistoun, a Neu! Reekie extravaganza at Platform in Easterhouse, shows in teeny tiny Bowlers bar in Bridgeton, we had a full on festival at Glasgow Green over the weekend and things are due to be brought to a close in epic style at the end of August with a weekend in Richmond Park featuring Mogwai headlining one night and Optimo the second!

The blank canvas that the team were given has been coloured in beautifully; legends, innovators, cult bands, young bands breaking through and everything in between have been given a chance to demonstrate the musical talent and variety that is on offer in the city of Glasgow.

To be quite honest, it is music that has been the highlight of the Commonwealth Games for me. The East End Social is one thing, there has also been the Belle and Sebastian show at Kelvingrove Bandstand (also loads of free shows there as well as stuff by the likes of The Waterboys) and all kinds of things going on down by the waterfront at the BBC featuring the likes of Simple Minds and the gorgeous Rachel Sermanni.

I could have done with a few weeks off to try and make the most of it!

Anyway, back to Edwyn at Glasgow Green.

Edwyn was thankfully playing inside a beautiful big tent called The Playhouse. I would love to see it installed permanently on the Green, it was a brilliant venue.

What made this show extra special was the fact that we took our 3-year old daughter Zoe. It was her first full gig -quite something for a 3-year old!

There were a number of young families down the front, so we got down and grabbed a seat on the floor, the friendly crowd stood behind the young kids, allowing them the chance to sit and watch a master at close quarters.

Zoe watching Edwyn and James

Edwyn was accompanied by the guitar virtuoso that is James Walbourne and there was a clear bond between the two, despite the fact Edwyn forgot his surname; causing laughter on stage and in the crowd and becoming a running joke.

The duo opened with Losing Sleep and Make Me Feel Again, the tent was packed - due to the fact that a genuine Scottish musical legend was playing - and the rain. People were listening from outside according to friends I spoke to later.

Edwyn was in great form, getting more and more into it the longer the show went on.

Home Again was exquisite; full of melody and emotion. It was my first time hearing it live since reading Grace Maxwell's book Falling and Laughing - The Restoration of Edwyn Collins. I had a little tear in my eye.

When I was a boy

Well I heard somebody singing

And I heard the guitars ringing

And it brought me home again

Home again

James was truly brilliant on the guitar, able to play anything and everything - and that is exactly what they did; delighting the crowd with Orange Juice classics Blue Boy, Falling and Laughing and Rip it Up.

Rip It Up was great fun with Edwyn egging James on and taking the mick in just the right way. The crowd loved it.

Don't Shilly Shally was brilliant and I was a proud Dad as Zoe clapped along and nodded her head.

A Girl Like You closed things in style with Edwyn humming along with the melody and congratulating James on his guitar playing.

This was a great little show. I'd love to see Edwyn play his songs in this stripped down acoustic way again in the future.

Dedicated followers of music

The live music scene in Glasgow, at least to me, hasn't show any sign of being effected by the economic crisis that the country has been suffering for the last 5-years. Indeed, with the addition of the Hydro it seems to be growing from strength to strength.

We like to be entertained, even if times are tough, that is just another reason to go out and forget about reality, to get lost in music.

It does come at a financial cost though. I don't get out to quite as many gigs as I used to, although I still do pretty well!

I've become friends with a lovely couple called Gordon and Heidi; couple of music nuts who I bump into regularly at shows and who are big fans of the Vigo Thieves. I thought I would interview them to display just how dedicated people can be. 

I love their answers, they really highlight the passion of Scottish gig goers, not to mention the variety of musical taste and their dedication to going to live shows. It is people like Gordon and Heidi that generate such a good name for a Scottish audience throughout the world.

1. Can you introduce yourselves and tell us about some of your favourite bands and artists?

 I`m Gordon , 47 and I work as a Fork Lift Driver with William Grant and Sons . I have two kids from a previous marriage aged 24 and 22

I`m Heidi , 46 going on 25 and I`m originally from Weert in Holland although I`ve stayed here in Scotland for 10 years now . I work in Tunnocks right now

I like to think that my musical taste is pretty varied but if I pick the bands that I keep going back to listen to then it would be The Jam , Ocean Colour Scene, Bob Marley ( both in his ska and reggae days ) Biffy Clyro and Mr Johnny Cash . There are a few bands about today that might end up on the list eventually . Augustines , Kodaline , Kasabian and The Avett Brothers spring to mind

In my younger days I was into heavy rock , Black Sabbath , Iron Maiden and Judas Priest and I still listen to them . I`ve also always loved Journey . As I`ve mellowed with age I`ve found Biffy Clyro and the Arctic Monkeys , although Elvis will always have a special place in my heart as I grew up listening to him with my dad . Apart from “ metal “ Gordon and I have very similar tastes in music

2. Who, when and where did you see live for the first time?

Journey were the first band I ever saw live in Anaheim , California in July 1982 and I was pretty much hooked on live music right there and then . I worked backstage at various venues in Nevada for a while and it was a job that I loved .

The first band I saw live was The Jam at the Apollo in Glasgow in the early 80`s , I also used to go and see a friends band , The Druids, in Bellshill around that time as well . It made me aware that it wasn`t just big bands out there and that plenty of good music was available by watching unsigned local bands

As a couple the first band we saw was Dogs Die In Hot Cars at Balado in 2004

3. Do you have any idea of how many gigs and festivals you have been to this year?

I had to go and trail through our box of ticket stubs , we keep them all along with the setlists that Heidi manages to grab , and we make it 24 gigs and 2 festivals .

We always try for 2 festivals a year , Wickerman and something else .

4. What have been your top 5 musical highlights so far this year?

These are all in no particular order

Chic at Wickerman . If you were there then you will know why and if you weren`t or left early to go see Stiff Little Fingers then you really missed something special

Aye apparently this is the case and Heidi enjoys reminding me just how good they were after we left , my cousin and I watched 30 minutes and then scarpered up to the Scooter tent for SLF . I have to say that they were a bit of a let down

Watching Vigo Thieves playing a sold out gig at the Arches . We have followed this Wishaw based band for a long time now and we have got to know the guys really well , they are a cracking bunch of lads and when we first saw them at Maggie Mays it was in front of 6 people .

From that to the Arches was amazing , they deserve a bigger audience for certain . This year should be their year .

Ed Kowalczyk ( former lead singer of Live ) played King Tuts in September and it was incredible to see him there , I saw the band play years ago in stadium venues and to be there as he played such an intimate gig was a real highlight for me

I went to this gig for Heidi as I`d never heard of him but he put on a real show , when he played Lightning Crashes I had to laugh at Heidi standing with tears in her eyes.

We differ on the last two;

The Stone Roses at Glasgow Green for me , 23 years was a long time to wait 

Being asked to fake play the saxophone on stage with Vigo Thieves at Wickerman , just because it gave the weekend a right good giggle at the end 

Suede at The Barrowlands because it was a new experience  for me , I went because of Gordon as they weren`t that big in Holland and I had heard of a couple of their songs but that's all . They were absolutely fantastic .

Kings Of Leon at Bellahouston park . Last time we saw them they were going through the motions and had major problems within the band . This time they all seemed to be loving what they did again and the nailed the gig .

5. We are really in thick of gig season right now. What gigs have you been to in November?

Stereophonics ( Hydro) , Kodaline ( ABC ) , Deap Vally ( Oran Mor ) , Vampire Weekend ( Hydro ) Arctic Monkeys ( Hydro ) , The Lumineers ( Corn Exchange ) The Editors ( Barrowlands ) . This has been an exceptionally busy month for us

(It certainly has been!)
6. What do you have coming up in advance?
At the moment we have Australian Pink Floyd , Chrvches , Elbow , The Begbies and The Eagles booked for next year .

7. Do you have a special account for ticket money or anything?

We don`t really but we are lucky that we both work . We tend to be able to afford to go to whatever we want although we baulked at paying over a hundred quid each for Fleetwood Mac at The Hydro . We regretted not going for it almost immediately .

8. Is there anyone you haven't seen that you would like to see?

As I will never see Pink Floyd I`ll leave them out . Just now there are a few that we haven`t been able to go and see for one reason or another . Muse , Foo Fighters , Arcade Fire for me . We can add Pearl Jam and Metallica to those . In terms of venues I`d like to visit Red Rocks in Denver and Paradiso in Amsterdam.

9. What do you think of the music scene in Scotland?

(Answer for both)

The music scene in Scotland for touring acts is superb , there are plenty of great venues out there . It seems to us that plenty of bands want to come here because the crowds tend to know their stuff . There always seems  to be a huge difference in crowds from Edinburgh and Glasgow , east coast crowds tend to be less rowdy .

Venue wise we have more than our fair share of crackers . For us both nothing beats the barrowlands . The sound in there is always spot on and even though the place hasn't really aged well it still has a feel to it . The Vigo`s played there earlier this year supporting The Fratelli`s and I( Gordon ) managed to blag a back stage pass ( Cheers Murray ) and so I watched the gig from the side of the stage

The scene out there for up and coming bands is what they want to make of it . Glasgow has plenty of great small venues , Tuts , Nice and Sleazys , Maggie Mays , Broadcast and The Old Hairdressers to name but a few and they are all excellent for bands coming through . There are plenty of opportunities to get out and take in live music . Keep an eye out for a trio called Calm Fiasco , relatively new and sound pretty tight . There are no excuses for folk who love music not to get out there and take in gigs .


10. What have been your all-time 3 top gigs/shows that you have been to?

Pink Floyd in Rotterdam . It was Pink Floyd , 2 1/2 hours of musical and visual heaven . It felt

like being hypnotised en masse . An amazing experience .

Faithless at The Barrowlands in 2005 . I`d seen them 6 times before but we were almost at the front and the whole crowd just bounced for the entire show , it was special 

Bruce Springsteen in Holland in the early 2000`s . It was with the E Street band and the Boss is unbelievable . No visuals or gimmicks just the man giving it hell for 3 hours . His energy brings the crowd along with him .

Faithless at The Barrowlands in 2005 . Heidi won tickets via XFM and Maxi and Bliss just played their hearts out . I ended up shirtless at the front bouncing about like I was 19 instead of 39 . Insomnia is up there with the greatest tunes of all times in my opinion.

Sigur Ros at Connect in 2008 . Its hard to out this gig into words . Sigur Ros are a musical orgasm , just an incredible noise from them . The setting of Inveraray at dusk with a low sunset lighting up the background made it even more special . It was as close as I`ve come to a religious experience at a music event , it felt as if no-one else was there other than Heidi , I and the band . (I was at this and have to agree that it was very special)

Stone Roses at Glasgow Green June 1990 - June 2013 , The later gig felt like a continuation of the previous one , except we had all aged considerably .

11. Is there anything you dislike about going to live shows?

People too drunk to know where they are and people throwing pints . Why someone would pay that sort of money to be blitzed and not remember the experience is nothing short of a mystery to me  . Anyone throwing drink is just a prick , excuse the language , I can`t add anything to that .

Excessive use of camera phones , people using camera phones and camera phones . Put them away and just enjoy the gig , for Gods sake . Drunks and by that I mean the same as Gordon. Ticket prices are sometimes steeper than they should be
12. Who would you like to see play;

a) The Hydro
b) The Barrowlands
c) King Tuts Wah Wah Hut

a) Muse for me . Metallica for me

b) Augustines , the Barrowlands would suit them down to a tee . I`d like to see Kasabian in here 

c) Anyone , Tuts is a special place no matter who plays it

Together we love music , it keeps us young . We`ll be gigging in our 70`s if we are still here

Why would we ever stop ?

Stone Roses at Glasgow Green 2013

My favourite band in my home town, it was all set up to be a momentous occasion to rival the incredible high I had for weeks after Heaton Park last summer....

So why did I walk away from the event a little deflated? 

Did the comedown from Heaton Park finally kick in?

The Roses at Glasgow Green was a real mixed bag for me; I got to spend the day with family and friends, have a good time, see 2 of my fave bands and even make a rare (these days) excursion to go clubbing at the Arches. However the sound wasn't great, Ian's singing was awful at times and the atmosphere at times really threatened to turn extremely sour.

That said, there were moments of sheer brilliance, notably 'This Is The One', 'Made of Stone' and 'Resurrection' at the end.

The atmosphere in Glasgow was electric. I was in town on the Friday for the Ian Tilton 'Set In Stone' exhibition and then on to Primal Scream's secret show at the Poetry Club (blog review to follow) and everyone was talking about the Roses coming to town, there were pre-show-pre-show parties a-plenty, everyone was up for it in a big way.

I met a crowd of friends and family on Saturday afternoon to get in the mood and we got into town early evening, meeting loads of people we know en route to the venue. Everyone was out for the hottest ticket in town. I've never seen Glasgow go nuts like this for a band before.

There was no problems getting in, we all waltzed in with no-one being checked for bottles, cans or anything else. Jake Bugg was still playing, the sun was shining, the weather was sweet...

We got split up almost immediately due to the crazy crowd for beers and the fact that mobiles weren't working. My crowd headed towards the sound-desk to make sure we could hear what was going on.

Jake Bugg's Dylan-esque melodies sounded brilliant in the early evening sunshine and all seemed sweet.

Primal Scream came on and after a promising opening their set turned rather flat with the airing  of 2 of the more subdued tracks from their new album. With the Scream's back catalogue you would have expected them to fire off a set to rival the Roses, but perhaps 2-years of Screamadelica and the punk ethic in Bobby G meant that he stuck to his guns to promote the new album. '2013' sounded fantastic though and 'Loaded' could get any party started, never mind one containing a load of people who were...loaded. As good as Primal Scream can be on their day, the crowd were here for one band only.

A torrential downpour didn't dampen the spirits, anything but! The crowd just cheered as the rain got heavier and then a double rainbow appeared just in time for the Roses taking the stage.

Before they did we moved from our position as a fight broke out between 2 groups of lads. I'm not sure how it developed but some serious punches and kicks were being thrown and the mood turned nasty. Given the amount of people unable to walk or talk due to drink or drugs, I wasn't surprised, people were falling around banging into others and creating tension. It seemed harmless at first, a bit of shoving and pushing, but it got nastier and with my wife and sister there we moved forwards to the front right of the sounddesk.

The Roses came on to 'Stoned Love', Ian Brown looking super cool in a yellow anorak, his haircut reminiscent to the one from those iconic shots in the inside cover of the debut album from 1989.

Mani was up for it big style, flares were being let off, everyone was in the mood. The rumbling bassline of 'Adored' kicked in to a huge cheer and then Squire's lazy, melodic guitar lines kicked in sounding beautiful, Reni held it all together. They sounded incredible, no-one else can play like that.

'Elephant Stone' followed, the place was going nuts. There was another couple of scuffles around us and the sound seemed to become a little distant in comparison to 'Adored'. 

'Ten Storey Love Song' kept things going, generating one of the biggest sing-a-long choruses of the night, people were hugging as Brown patrolled the stage and Squire's guitar chimed beautifully.

The sound didn't seem quite right, it seemed to rise and fall rather than be consistent like Heaton Park. Maybe it was where I was standing (doubt it as it was near the sounddesk), maybe it was the weather, maybe it was just the sound or maybe it was because Glasgow Green has a residential area around it so the sound can't be as high as Heaton Park.

Anyway, it didn't seem right to me. I was struggling to get into the gig as a result. The increasing number of people seemingly up for a fight also wasn't helping my mood.

'Sally Cinnamon' sent the place even more ballistic and a few people fell over where we were standing as flares were held aloft. Then a flare was thrown, then some glasses of piss and beer were thrown, then what looked like a Buckfast bottle was thrown. 

Things were raining down from all angles. A few people got clobbered, a few of them went looking for the culprits. The mood was turning.

'Fools Gold' didn't seem to generate the same feeling as it had at Heaton Park, the sound seemed swampy. 'Something's Burning' seemed flat.

'Waterfall' lifted things, the outro was played at a furious pace but then things went horribly wrong for Ian Brown during 'Don't Stop'. He was so far off key it was embarrassing. The last time I saw Brown solo I walked away, he was that bad. My brother and I cringed, 2 huge Roses fans at our home town show. Brown was awful.

He picked it up thankfully and the closing third of the show was the best as the Roses romped through 'Drums', 'This Is The One', 'Made of Stone' and 'Resurrection'.

Maybe it was just me, but 'Love Spreads' and 'Breaking Into Heaven' sounded leaden in comparison.

By this time we had edged out to the side near a speaker to try and get a better sound and to escape the mayhem where we had been standing.

The heady atmosphere had turned for me, too many people were incapacitated through drink  and drugs. As Ian Brown himself once said 'tune in, turn on, don't drop out.' Too many people seemed to be there to get as fucked as possible rather than to see and hear the band.

We headed to the Arches a little subdued, talking about the good things but also the not so good. After a while we were dancing to Hacienda classics.

Back in 1999 I witnessed United lift the Champions League in Barcelona to complete a historic treble. It took a while to come down.

I think Heaton Park will always be my Barcelona - never to be repeated, yet I'll always strive for that high...hooked.

My thoughts go out to the poor girl who passed away following the show. R.I.P