Last Night From Glasgow - 2nd birthday

In only 2-years Last Night From Glasgow has released albums, singles and EP's by Mark W Georgsson, Emme Woods, Stephen Solo, TeenCanteen, Be Charlotte, BooHooHoo, a live Christmas album,  Medicine Men, Radiophonic Tuckshop, Sister John, Sun Rose, Annie Booth, The Gracious Losers, L-Space and Zoe Bestel .... I hope I haven't forgotten anyone!

What would have happened if LNFG hadn't arrived? How many of these releases would have been pressed on to vinyl, or even released at all? Last night in Glasgow (pun alert) wouldn't have happened - and it was amazing!

So much about the label makes sense. So let's just revisit that before I go on to review the second birthday bash.

• LNFG is a crowdfunded label.

• 200 members pay an annual membership fee of £50 (with optional donation that many choose to make)

• For that £50 they receive all planned physical and digital releases plus access to launch shows! 

• Members are the core of the label. They raise the capital to allow LNFG to run and to release records.

• Physical/digital releases are also available to buy/stream for non-members and (get this) almost 100% of sales go to the artists!!! LNFG is a not-for-profit record label with everything directed towards supporting and rewarding artists. In addition to support through sales, LNFG pay our artists well for shows.

There are still a few membership places for our 2018/19 year. Why not take a chance? We will be releasing albums by Zoe Bestel, Radiophonic Tuckshop, Gracious Losers, BiS and one more TBC, plus you'll get access to all these launch shows.

Talk about great value for money.

Anyway, on to last night.....

Stereo was the setting for the 2nd birthday party. It's a glorious hub of leftfield musical, artistic and vegan activity down a cobbled lane just round from Central Station with a fine selection of drinks. Well worth checking if you have never been,

Birthday parties should be celebrations and this was no different. I guess there was an added sense of occasion for those that had been involved from the off - the founding members - and also for those that became label members from the off - investing into nothing more than an idea. We swapped stories and favourite memories from the last two-years. And for relatively new label members, they got to experience something special, something magical - a sense of community.

I guess that is probably the most amazing thing of all, the community that Last Night From Glasgow has created, friendships, trust, a platform of creativity.... last night was special.

Stephen Solo opened proceedings, bursting into a sun drenched blitz of psychedelic pop with LocoCoco. Solo has an incredible talent for melody and for taking the listener on a journey, his songs are packed with glorious breaks, middle-eights, hooks and choruses.

Behind Your Eyes from his debut album contains the most beautiful Albarn-esque chorus, Think Strange from his latest album is brilliant inventive pop music and you have to remember that this guy recorded both his albums on his iPhone. For me, Stephen Solo is a genius.

Sample tweet

Ross Hastings‏ @Ross_Hastings 23h23 hours ago

Just saw Stephen Solo at the @LNFGlasgow show; it was weird and beautiful and fucking marvellous

Photo courtesy of Brendan Waters

Sun Rose were on next. This was only their second ever gig. The band (Albert, Gus and Callum) created their glorious The Essential Luxury album in the studio and online, never really intending to play it live. When they did create a live band, it was a 6-piece, with 4 of the members living Manchester. It was special (blog here). So how would they fair as a 2-piece? They smashed it - Gus and Albert mixed things up live on stage with synths, samples and Albert on guitar. Their voices combined beautifully and as the smoke billowed behind them, they created a real clubby feel with Dry In The Water soaring and flowing superbly. Stereo was rammed and before a glorious climax with Counting Upwards Albert had to ask the crowd to take a couple of steps forwards.

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Carla J. Easton‏ @CarlaJEaston 3h3 hours ago

#6forSunday Can't stop thinking about how good Sun Rose were last night. 'The Essential Luxury' might be my favourite album from last year. Closer #5 - Counting Upwards (Sun Rose) THAT SYNTH CRESCENDO!

Photo courtesy of Brendan Waters

L-Space followed, playing a trippy dreamy set to the biggest crowd of their (so far) short career. They look and sound superb, playfully weaving melodies from synths, keys and guitar together, all underpinned by a groovy bass. Blue Flowers is already a contender for one of my songs of 2018. I previously described it as Mazzy Star meets Portishead and i stand by it. I can't wait to own it on vinyl. Lead singer Lily looks super cool and her imaginative lyrics are set to widescreen sounds with Gordon Johnstone on guitar looking like he was having the time of his life.

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@stephenwattspit

@Lspace_band were glorious at @LNFGlasgow last night. A band still sheathed in shyness in the purest and most positive way.

Photo courtesy of Brendan Waters

On to headliners BiS. The band shot to fame in 1996, being the first unsigned band to appear on Top of the Pops with their glorious and furious Kandy Pop. The band have aged well in terms of appearance (not that they are old!) and on the strength of last nights performance and the poptastic new song that they dropped, they haven't lost any of their energy or sense of fun. They tore through a hit packed set (this song got to number 37) with urgency and the enjoyment on stage was matched by the packed crowd. Eurodisco was a real highlight for me and I know how much it means to label leader Ian Smith to have this band on the label.

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Charity Chic‏ @charchicmusic 21h21 hours ago

@LNFGlasgow ,@thebandbis Bis were the absolute bisters

Sun Rose and L Space at Nice n Sleazy

Last night I caught two stunning bands in the basement of Nice n Sleazy, both blew me away.

I introduced L-Space in a previous blog. I was really looking forward to seeing them live and they didn't disappoint. Singer Lily wore a headband that lit up and started the set kneeling in front of a tiny keyboard at the front of the stage, picking out a beautiful melody, covered by an umbrella that also lit up. Her band mates created a beautiful wall of noise to back her up.

The 4-piece were refreshingly different to any band I have seen in Glasgow in a while. Gordon Johnstone played some brilliant riffs and melodies on guitar, before at times unleashing some ferocious white noise. Synth player Maura Keane looked super cool, creating some great sounds, whilst bassist Dickson Teller kept the groove.

Blue Flowers was a highlight for me as I've really fallen for that song, but in truth the whole set was incredibly impressive and there were knowing nods from the people around me that we were witnessing a band with huge potential. The crowd responded with increasing applause and hours after each song. A great set.

Sun Rose were launching their debut LP The Essential Luxury by playing their first ever show after a grand total of four rehearsals. The album was created by Albert Kawmi, Calum Muir and Gus Wemyss between Glasgow and Manchester, with emails playing an important role.

The trio gradually pieced together a stunning album full of inventive beats, breaks, layers, sounds, melodies and harmonies. With no band name, social media or gigs to concern themselves with, this gave them an almost unique freedom in todays day and age to take their time.

I'll be blogging about the sublime and blissful album in the very near future. What were they like live?

The trio became a 6-piece for the night; lining up with Calum and Gus playing back to back synths, Albert on bongos, maracas and very occasional synth, backed by guitar, bass and drums.

What a treat! The band played superbly. Albert told us how it was his first live show in 4-years. He looked confident and full of joy. Calum and Gus looked deep in concentration, playing synths, getting involved in funky percussion and both complimented Albert superbly with harmonies and backing vocals. Their band mates looked delighted to be playing to a packed Sleazys and to be involved in creating such sublime music live.

Debut single Smirk gave us an indication of the style and capabilities of Sun Rose live. They were on it - funky, sublime and able to recreate the layers and changes in pace that they beautifully offer on their album,

Dry In The Water was outstanding; surging upwards, dropping back to almost nothing before soaring sky high and taking the audience on a journey with them.

Second single Minima was blissful and the band had the confidence not only to sing a song in Arabic but to also drop in a cover version of The Pointer Sisters Automatic.

Singer Albert was quick to thank the band, their friend who drove them to and from Manchester, the audience and then his wife Lynsey who was celebrating her birthday. The audience sing song was followed by Albert coming into the audience for a kiss. There was a collective awwwww, a nice touch as Albert when back on stage and told us of how he broke the news to Lynsey that they were launching the album on her birthday.

The band ended their set with Counting Upwards, the beautiful closing number from their album. They got lost in the gorgeous sounds they were producing and there is a section where things just build to a euphoric mantra.

There was no encore. Just grateful thanks to the audience and to Last Night From Glasgow who Albert said the album and gig wouldn't have happened without.

What will they do next? Will they play again? A packed Sleazys will hope so. And for any festival promoters reading this - get them booked. Blissful, funky and euphoric.

Album review to follow. Check it on Spotify HERE or order vinyl HERE

Introducing Sun Rose

Sun Rose - great name, positive and warm - Everything Flows

Maximalist melodramatic funk-pop outfit from Glasgow - band description on Facebook

We like to take our time - Gus Wemyss, Sun Rose

For fans of Todd Terje, ESG etc - Maioux Miaoux

Sun Rose are a brand new band signed to Last Night From Glasgow (LNFG) who have just released their debut single Smirk ahead of their debut album later this year. Check the video below or head to iTunes to download or Spotify to stream.

Inspired by the likes of Talking Heads, Daft Punk, ESG and Kraftwerk, Calum Muir and Albert Kawmi began writing the songs which would form the basis of the Sun Rose debut album over the winter of 2013/14.

The friends had previously in a band together - Nevada Base - but then life got in the way. Things stalled a little until Gus Wemyss (also a previous member of Nevada Base) got involved in 2015 and by late 2016 Julian Corrie (Miaoux Miaoux and now Franz Ferdinand) was involved with production and mixing.

The completed album is an absolute gem - techno, electro, melodic, funky, disco, harmonies.... I'll be blogging about that nearer the time of release.

One of the beautiful thing about this band is that their only ambition was to release it on vinyl and play a couple of shows! It is all about the music - so much so that they have only recently set up a Facebook page. And the band name was only confirmed shortly before the release!

Smirk is fantastic - the guitar playing, vocals and changes in pace mean that there is an edge throughout. The piano break is sublime and then the synths and beat take things higher. The final 30-seconds take things even higher and leave you wishing for an extended mix. I can't wait to see and hear them play it live.

The Brian Sweeney produced promo video features members of the band and members of the LNFG label in a kaleidoscope style effect - keeping with the flow and changes of the song.

Check it out below.