2026 - Scottish music scene

Happy New Year.

Welcome to my first blog of the year. Read on to learn about;

• New bands/artists I'm excited about following through 2026 and beyond
• Emerging acts I continue to champion 
• Albums I am looking forward to
• Gigs I already have tickets for
• Gigs or festivals I am looking forward to

I hope that you might check some of the artists and shows out.

ENJOY!

5 new bands/artists

Fatale

The most exciting young band in Scotland? I think so. They are certainly my favourite. Fuzzy and scuzzy guitars, loads of songs (Moves You, Another Sunrise and Jesus Christ to name a few) that sounds like potential singles and choice covers of songs by legendary Scottish bands like Primal Scream (Velocity Girl), The Mary Chain (Taste of Cindy) and The Vaselines (Molly's Lips) as well as The Velvets Femme Fatale where they got their name from.

Fatale are a real gang who (literally) bounce off each other with natural ease and humour. Their taste and knowledge of music is exceptional and they have a thirst to discover all kinds of stuff - the influences of their influences. Like all good bands, Fatale have fantastic hair. As an added bonus, they regularly showcase a first class collection of retro band t-shirts and AC Milan (via drummer James) football tops.

Fatale are kicking off 2026 with a headline show at King Tuts Wah Wah Hut on Friday 9th January. Still in single figures for gigs, they then head out on the road with fellow faves of mine The Cords for dates in Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness in February. Teenage Kicks!

Yet to release a single, Fatale are focusing on building a following, while also hitting the studio to build up a string of singles and work towards an album.

Instagram  Soundcloud - demos

Introducing blog (June 2025)

Radhika

Citing The Pastels, Cocteau Twins and Strawberry Switchblade as inspiration, Radhika has played some choice gigs through 2025 and starts 2026 by playing London and Manchester shows with support from Gerry Love and Wor_kspace (Finlay MacDonald). Radhika's song Future Me on her Bandcamp is gorgeous dreamy indie pop, I hear a tinge of Belle & Sebastian (especially in the outro) in addition to her aforementioned influences. Starry Eyes (below) is swirling, swoony and sublime. 

Full INTRODUCING blog and interview coming soon.

Bandcamp  Instagram

Angelface

Described by my sister Carla as - the best new girl band in Scotland that you haven't heard of yet. Think The Sundays meets Big Thief with a massive dose of harmonies a la The Roches. 

The band themselves say - we're an all girl indie folk dream pop band.

Angelface play King Tuts on 29th January. 

Instagram

Supersun

3 siblings and their cousin, two twelve string guitars, a shared love of melodic guitar pop music, the introduction of their own regular night and the desire to become part of Glasgow's musical heritage and future. Supersun formed in the fall of 2025 and have only played one gig to date.

Their next is at Mono on 12th February with The Cords and a stripped back set by BMX Bandits. TICKETS 

Full INTRODUCING blog and interview coming soon.

Instagram

Other People's Leisure

Other People's Leisure have a studio/lock up with a bank of electronic equipment and lights. IT LOOKS AMAZING!  The duo released 3 singles within a couple of months at the end of 2025, mixing house beats, ambient and shoegaze textures with all kinds of synth goodness. Debut shows are booked at Leith Depot and The Hug & Pint in March.  Full INTRODUCING blog and interview coming soon.

Instagram

2 emerging bands/artists

Kerr Mercer

After a very busy 18-24 months on the road, supporting a vast array of artists, Kerr 'finally' released his debut single Alcohol at the end of 2024. I say 'finally', as his social media posts made it clear that he was chomping at the bit to get his songs out into the world. No wonder! 

Alcohol is a belter of a debut.Stripped back, leaving plenty of room for Mercer's rich and soulful voice, telling the teenage tale of going out drinking and falling for someone. Check the live video below - exceptional.

Kerr's voice is incredible and in addition to a busy time gigging, Kerr has also been writing constantly. Alcohol could open the floodgates. Still a teenager, Mercer is set to be around for decades.

Instagram

March 2025 BBC Scotland article

The Cords

Eva and Grace gigged hard through 2025 and released their eponymous debut album. With a 3-date tour with Fatale in February followed by an extensive tour supporting The Charlatans in spring, The Cords star is set to continue to rise. Infectious melodies, punky guitar, primal beats and honest lyrics that make observations and tell stories and feelings are winning fans everywhere.

Instagram

Introducing The Cords (Jan 2024)

3 albums I'm looking forward to

Gerard Love & The Magic Influence

2026 will surely be the year that Gerry releases the much anticipated solo album that he has been working on for a while. This has included time down in Liverpool with Bill Ryder-Jones. 

Given the members in his band, Gerry is likely to have to fit a release around Belle & Sebastian and Teenage Fanclub tours. My hunch is that if it happens, it will be a Spring or Winter release ... of this year! 

News of Gerry going into CHEM19 to mix leaves me extremely hopeful. But who knows?

Instagram

Carla J Easton

Solo album number 5 for my sister. 10-years since her Homemade Lemonade album and also Say It All With A Kiss by TeenCanteen. 20-years since she formed her first band - Futuristic Retro Champions.

Carla recorded at CHEM19 with Howard Bilerman on production duties. The two had previously worked together when Carla recorded her Impossible Stuff album in Canada at Howards hotel2tango studio. It's probably my favourite album of Carla's, I love the natural and live feel to it. 

What a shot of confidence to have Howard fly over! And to have so many friends answering calls to play on the album. I think it is Carla's best body of work to date. Her live show at the Old Hairdressers for Tiny Changes was brilliant - I loved seeing and hearing Carla play guitar with a huge beaming smile on her face.

Website   Instagram

Teenage Fanclub 

Touch wood. Teenage Fanclub will be recording an album in early 2026! Will it come out this year? Well, if it's mixed and mastered quickly, you just never know! Autumn gigs? You never know ;-)

Website

4 gigs I already have tickets for

Fatale at King Tuts - 09/01

Less than a year since playing their debut show, Fatale headline King Tuts. Expect new songs alongside early favourites.

Hen Hoose album launch at The Tramway - 30/01

Hen Hoose have really gone from strength to strength in the last couple of years. Tamara Schlesinger had a clear vision and along with her growing collective, she has paved a way for female and non-binary artists to gain peer support, confidence and community. 

12 of the community decamped to the Isle of Lewis in late summer of 2025 to write and record an album, suitably entitled The Twelve, due for release this month. I've been fortunate to hear the album and it's a super fresh mix of pop, reflection and joy.

Instagram

Geese at The Barrowland Ballroom - March and August

Photo by Tommy Krause

Instagram

Big Thief at The Barrowland Ballroom - May 

Photo by Michael Buishas

4 gigs/festivals I am looking forward to

• Summer Nights at Kelvingrove Bandstand

I already have tickets for Cast playing the Bandstand, but I always look forward to the Summer Nights announcement.

• Heather on the Hill Festival

Nathan Evans and the Saint PHNX Band are putting on a massive show in Edinburgh and it is all ages and family friendly. In addition to seeing friends Stevie and Alan headline with Nathan, my kids have their eyes on Ella Henderson.

• Teenage Fanclub tour

Teenage Fanclub are at a beautiful stage in their career where they are releasing and touring regularly, with a desire to play venues, towns and countries they have never played before. The band have played pretty much everywhere in Glasgow, but have yet to play Saint Luke's ... maybe a couple of nights there? Come to think of it, BAaD would also be brilliant for them!

• Tenement Trail

My friend Joe and I try to go to this every year. Can we last until the end in 2026?!

The area around the Barrowland becomes awash with exciting young bands and artists, full of fans mingling between venues, a real buzz. Madra Salach (below) were a highlight.

1995 - Peak Britpop

1995, 30-years ago. Almost 31! Time flies.

This was the year when - at least for me - Britpop peaked in glorious technicolour and sunshine.

Independent music (or, indie bands now signed to major labels!) exploded into the mainstream with characters like Liam and Noel, Damon, Jarvis, Shaun and Bez and the Supergrass boys leading the way. The songs, the albums, the characters—it was all perfectly chaotic, brilliantly creative and endlessly fun.

We were young, we were free, we kept our teeth nice and clean and the sun seemed to be shining all the time. A weekly trip to HMV on Sauchiehall Street on Monday lunchtime meant rich pickings with 7-inch singles at 99p on the week of release and CD singles at £1.99.

30-years on, many of the bands from the heady days of the mid-90's reformed to play lucrative tours and/or revisit classic/favourite albums.

30-years on, 1995 holds a special place in my heart. I was 19! This was Britpop at its absolute peak, a time when guitar bands ruled the charts, the press, and the pubs, and when it felt like Britain was the centre of the musical universe. Bands, singers, singles, songs and albums ... everything aligned to make this the defining year of the movement. 

The parties were legendary. Camden was the place to be! Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Elastica, Supergrass, Sleeper ... Menswear! everyone seemed to be drinking, fighting and sleeping with each other.

Adidas and Fred Perry tops were in, Jarvis brought charity shop chic to the masses and sales of cagoules or duffel coats rocketed thanks to Oasis.

It felt like a movement with real cultural power. Even if it was all about to get messy.

By 1996, Britpop was splintering; Oasis went stratospheric with era defining shows at Maine Road and Knebworth, while Blur retreated into lo-fi indie, and the party started to slow down. The scene had gone from exciting and unpredictable to overexposed and corporate. The drugs changed. Ecstasy and Cocaine had fueled the first half of the nineties, now bands were reportedly turning to heroin. By 1997, everything was slowing down.

As time went on, bands were becoming much more ambitious in terms of the soundscapes they could produce. Sonic boundaries were being pushed, broken and obliterated. 1997 was all about Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space by Spiritualized, OK Computer by Radiohead, Vanishing Point by Primal Scream, Dig Your Own Hole by The Chemical Brothers and Urban Hymns by The Verve. Blur's stripped back eponymous album was in stark contrast to the monstrous Be Here Now by Oasis. Noel Gallagher has practically disowned this album.

Pulp sat things out until 1998, when, if Britpop didn't need it, they put one last nail in the coffin with their This Is Hardcore album. Elastica were so burnt out and frazzled that they didn't release their second album until 2000. When, by their own admission, they shouldn't have bothered.

But in 1995, British music, widely classified as Britpop, burned intensely.

What is/what was Britpop?

For me it was a time when British independent/alternative music exploded into the charts. 

I don't think many, if any, of the bands listed below would describe themselves as Britpop. Blur certainly played up to it, with Damon Albarn presenting a show entitled Britpop Now BBC2 (see below). While his introduction about rallying against grunge music made sense, he then followed this up with a performance of Country House in a cringeworthy outfit complete with deerstalker hat. What was Graham Coxon thinking?!

Pulp, were possibly, without realising it, the definitive Britpop band. Colourful, camp, council house humour, art, dreams and storytelling. They were in the right place at the right time, to the extent they ended up headlining Glastonbury when the Stone Roses pulled out. See my blog on Common People.

In the years to come, pale imitations of bands like Blur and Pulp would try to jump on the Britpop bandwagon, but they were either too late, or simply not good enough.

The 1995 Peak Britpop playlist

CLICK HERE for my 1995 playlist

Read on for the bands and singles that defined 1995 and make up this playlist. In terms of order, I've started with bands that released one or two singles that year and progressed to those that released four.

NOTE - Artistic license has allowed me to include some singles from late 94/early 96.

Whiteout - Jackie's Racing

• Released - Debut album Bite It and the above single
• Of note - Whiteout toured with Oasis in the spring of 1994. The Burnage boys went Supersonic, while Whiteout never really caught fire and kind of burned out. Neither their album or singles troubled the top 40. A shame as 1994's debut single No Time was a belter.

The Stone Roses - Ten Storey Love Song / Begging You

• Released - The above singles hot on the heels of Love Spreads and The Second Coming in December 1994.
• Of note - Reni left the band in March 1995 shortly before a Scandonavian tour. He was replaced by Robbie Maddix / Pulp headlined Glastonbury in place of the Roses due to John Squire breaking his collar bone / Finally played their first UK shows since Glasgow Green in 1990 in November and December

The Chemical Brothers - Leave Home / Life Is Sweet

• Released - The above singles and debut album Exit Planet Dust.
• Of note - The Chemical Brothers started off under the name The Dust Brothers, but they had to change their name to avoid confusion with the American producers who worked with The Beastie Boys among others.

McAlmont & Butler - You Do / Yes

• Released - The above singles plus the album The Sound Of ... McAlmont & Butler
• Of note - Yes has got better with age. This is timeless pop music, grand in scale and ambition, born from hurt and frustration, exploding with Butler's guitar, soaring strings and McAlmont's incredible voice.

Elastica - Waking Up / Car Song

• Released - The above singles and their eponymous debut album
• Of note - Their album became the fastest selling debut since Oasis with Definitely Maybe. Justine Frischmann was dating Blur's Damon Albarn. Rumours were abound that he was heavily involved in writing a number of songs. 

Cast - Finetime / Alright

• Released - Debut album All Change and the above singles.
• Of note - John Power had previously been in The La's and got fed up waiting for Lee Mavers to do something.

Sleeper -  Inbetweener / Vegas / What Do I Do Now 

• Released - Debut album Smart and the above singles.
• Of note - Ummm .... was there anything of note with Sleeper? Other than producing some cracking singles?

Ash - Kung Fu / Girl From Mars / Angel Interceptor

• Released - The above singles.
• Of note - Ash were still teenagers and were building towards debut album 1977 which came out in May 1996. 

The Bluetones - Slight Return / Bluetonic / Are Your Blue, Are You Blind? 

• Released - The above singles
• Of note - Slight Return reached number 2 in the charts upon re-release in 1996. 

Supergrass - Lose It / Lenny / Alright 

• Released - The above singles plus debut album I Should Coco.
• Of note - Alright hit number 2 and stayed top 3 for 1-month. The band, although still teenagers, had done the rounds and cut their teeth (that they keep nice and clean) a few years earlier as The Jennifers.

Edwyn Collins - A Girl Like You / If You Could Love Me / Make Me Feel Again 

• Released - The above singles (all from 1994's Gorgeous George album)
• Of note - A Girl Like You was actually released in 1994 but was rated by many music magazines (incluing NME and Spin) in their top singles of 1995 lists. The song was being played regularly through the summer of 95. It was (and is) soul pop perfection.

Black Grape - Reverend Black Grape / Kelly's Heroes / In The Name Of The Father

• Released - The above singles and their sensational and crazy debut album It's Great When You're Straight ... Yeah!
• Of note - Shaun Ryder wasn't quite back from the dead ... but not far off. The Mondays had disintegrated, Ryder was on The Word off his head dancing with the Rainbow puppets to a rave version of their theme tune and declared himself bankrupt in the music weeklies. Their T in the Park appearance that summer was utterly sensational. Summertime party music. Black Grape got the party started.

The Verve - This Is Music / On Your Own / History

• Released - Their stunning A Northern Soul album (blogged on here) and the above singles.
• Of note - Photographer Michael Spencer Jones captured some amazing photos of the band around this period. He got lucky with the History sleeve, released as the band broke up.

Gene - Haunted By You / Be My Light, Be My Guide / Olympian 

• Released - The above singles and debut album 
• Of note - Championed by the music weeklies and compared to The Smiths, Gene never broke through into the top 10, despite releasing some stunning singles. 

Blur - Country House / The Universal / Stereotypes 

• Released - The above singles (Stereotypes was early 96) and album The Great Escape.
• Of note - The Great Escape (95) was Blur's 3rd album in 3 years after Modern Life Is Rubbish (93) and Parklife (94). A remarkable run.

Paul Weller - The Changingman/ You Do Something To Me / Broken Stones

• Released - The album Stanley Road plus the above singles.
• Of note - Weller's performance with Noel Gallagher on The White Room (on Talk Tonight) in 1995 was seen by many as the passing of the flame. However Weller's flame still burns fiercely bright. Damon Albarn also appeared with Ray Davies from The Kinks. 

Menswear - I'll Manage Somehow / Daydreamer / Stardust / Sleeping In

• Released - The above singles plus debut album Nuisance. 
• Of note - Menswear were on the covers of the music weeklies before they had released anything. A buzz band/ultimate Britpop chancers from the Camden scene, they secured a £500,000 publishing deal with just 7 songs. Menswear were slagged off by the music press almost as quickly as they had given them front covers. They did release some cracking guitar pop singles for the times. My brother and I caught them at King Tuts and still marvel at what an incredibly exciting show it was. Britpop-mania! Menswear disappeared almost as quickly as they arrived, dropped in 1997 after their label were unimpressed by their second album, which, as a result, was only released in Japan.

The Boo Radleys - Wake Up Boo! / Find The Answer Within / It's Lulu / From the Bench at Belvidere

• Released - The above singles plus the album Wake Up!
• Of note - Alan McGee urged Martin Carr to 'use every trick in the book' to get a hit and he did. The Boo's and Wake Up Boo! were everywhere from kids TV shows to prime time TV and radio. Chris Evans pilfered the song for a radio jingle to advertise his show.

Teenage Fanclub - Mellow Doubt / Sparky's Dream / Neil Jung / About You

• Released - The above singles and one of their best albums - Grand Prix.
• Of note - The band closed 1995 with the release of their Teenage Fanclub Have Lost It EP, determined to distance themselves from the Britpop noise and crowd. Check my blog on that gorgeous EP.

The Charlatans - Crashin' In / Just Lookin' & Bullet Comes (double a-side) / Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over / 

• Released - The above singles and their eponymous album. Crashin' In was released on Boxing Day in December 94.
• Of note - Tim Burgess also recorded with The Chemical Brothers on their single Life Is Sweet.

Radiohead - High and Dry & Planet Telex (double a-side)/ Fake Plastic Trees / Just 

• Released - The above singles (Street Spirit (Fade Out) also came out in January 96) plus breakthrough album The Bends.
• Of note - My brother and I caught Radiohead headlining The Garage the week The Bends came out. I don't recall it being mobbed/sold out!

Pulp - Common People / Sorted for E's and Whizz & Mis-Shapes (double a-side)/ Disco 2000

• Released - The above singles plus Britpop and career defining album, Different Class.
• Of note - Pulp headlined Glastonbury at short notice, just a month on from releasing Common People. (see blog) They absolutely smashed it out the park.

Oasis - Some Might Say / Roll With It / Wonderwall / Don't Look Back In Anger

• Released - The above singles, that included era defining songs like Acquiesce and The Masterplan as b-sides and their second album (What's The Story) Morning Glory? NOTE - Don't Look Back In Anger wasn't actually released until February 1996 but it was already an anthem.
• Of note - Ummmm, pretty much everything Oasis did was of note. Number 1 singles and albums, classic shows at Earls Court and the classic Blur v Oasis battle for the top of the charts.

Adored - April 2012 rehearsal

Yeah!

I've been watching a lot of old Roses footage since the sad passing of Gary 'Mani' Mountfield. The Made of Stone documentary, Blackpool Live, the Snub TV footage from the Hacienda, the Other Side of Midnight performance of Waterfall, reunion shows from Parr Hall, Heaton Park, Coachella and Madison Square Garden, old interviews where the Roses are ice cold cool and TV appearances where they look like the perfect band. All glorious stuff.

One video has stood out in particular in the last week. It's footage of the reformed Roses, filmed in Super 8 style on a mobile phone by Shane Meadows on his first visit to the band's rehearsal studio on 18th April 2012. Meadows credits the moment as when he realised how best to film the Roses intimate working relationship.

The 5-minutes of black and white footage begins with Reni already in an effortlessly playful groove on his drums, while Mani finishes tuning his bass. Reni's eyes are closed, lost in the music as the camera cuts to Mani who begins the iconic riff of I Wanna Be Adored. 

Ian Brown, hair looking good, camouflage jacket, mumbles sounds into his mic. Mani stops and then restarts his magnificent rumble. Squire walks into the background and picks up a guitar. Reni keeps his groove going, funk jazz fusion beats over the Adored bassline.   

Before long Squire is sprinkling magical nuggets, causing Mani to grin beautifully. Brown shakes a tambourine. Squire, with impeccable, yet, messy hair, is now seated, coaxing some feedback, wearing a cool pair of Nike trainers and a stylish over-shirt. Brown smiles. Like the rest of us, he can only really watch on and marvel. Maybe he was thinking 'why the hell did we leave it so long?' ... Me too, Ian, me too! To Brown's credit, he lets this beautiful jam flow on. 

Squire plays with some effects; reverb, delay and echo, moving with ease up and down the neck of his guitar. Reni is beaming, at one with his drums, Mani is locked into the bass riff, Ian Brown stands and looks on in awe.

At 4-minutes in, Meadows focuses on Reni and the way he moves around his kit is astonishing. I can't help but think this guy hasn't recorded enough beats in his lifetime. There must be some old jams from the Second Coming sessions gathering dust in vaults. And what other footage from the rehearsals does Meadows have stashed away? I'd love to get access and go digging!

Then we cut to Mani's bass, the camera moves up to capture him in the zone, lips pursed and then he lets out a beautiful 'yeah'. God it makes me smile and brings happy tears to my eyes.

Meadows moves round and Reni starts showing off for Mani, looking him in the eyes as he adds some more moves to his grooves, shaking his head, laughing with Mani who never strays from his classic bass riff. Squire is still busy coaxing and conjuring gorgeous psychedelic gems from his guitar.

The footage ends, aptly, from behind Mani, his view of the room and the band he loved so much. The rogue Rose who anchored everything, allowing the exceptional Reni and Squire to do their thing. What a band! 

Enjoy this footage. 

Rest in Peace Mani. Forever Adored.

A beautiful tribute by John Squire 

All I Have To Do Is Dream

 

Trust me #109
All I Have To Do Is Dream by The Everly Brothers

My Mum joined her church community choir earlier this year. This is different from the Sunday Morning Service choir, the focus is on pop songs, rather than hymns. 

A few months back, I was working from my local coffee shop and decided to pop round to my Mum's flat (close to the church) to see her. I was a little early, and as I knew choir was on until 2.30pm, I thought I would surprise my Mum and meet her at the church.

The main doors to the church were open, so I walked in to the sound of The Everly Brothers All I Have To Do Is Dream echoing from the back room and through the main hall. 

What a song.

Whenever I want you, all I have to do is dream

Dream, dream, dream

Dream

The Everly Brothers encapsulate the feeling of longing and lusting after someone out of reach in real life, but not in dreams. A feeling I'm sure that everyone reading this has felt before. How many hours, days, weeks and months (particularly as a teenager!) have I spent dreaming and fantasising about girls out of reach?!

But enough about this. Back to the church! 

All I Have To Do Is Dream is a hymn. And it was quite something hearing my Mum and her church community choir sing it. My Mum, by her own admission, isn't a great singer, but she loves the community choir. 

Released in April 1958, this incredible song is still finding an audience, still exuding life, still resonating ... still dreaming. Sometimes that is all we have to do. All we can do. 

When you talk about The Everly Brothers, you are primarily talking about harmony. Don and Phil Everly weren't just two brothers singing; they possessed an almost telepathic vocal bond.

All I Have to Do Is Dream is a masterclass in close-harmony singing .Phil's higher, softer voice weaves in and out of Don's lower, grounding tenor, their voices merging into a single, shimmering instrument. This technique set a new benchmark for duets and profoundly influenced everyone from The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel to the Beach Boys.

There's nothing complex about this song - just a straightforward, yearning narrative backed by a sparse, gentle arrangement with lyrics capturing a universal teenage feeling - the joy of fantasy and dreaming.

When I want you in my arms

When I want you and all your charms

Whenever I want you

All I have to do is dream

As an added bonus, the song even gets gee whizz into it, with the rather cheesy line 

Only trouble is, gee whizz

I'm dreaming my life away

This is a beautiful song and hopefully the Uddingston Parish Church Community Choir are performing it this evening and on Sunday.

All I Have To Do Is Dream is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE. Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

77. The Rat by The Walkmen

78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer

79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys

81. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros

82. 69 Police by David Holmes

83. Hey Lisa by David Holmes

84. I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel

85. Kung Fu by Ash

86. Kids by MGMT

87. Slight Return by The Bluetones

88. Give Peace A Chance by John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band

89. Cut Your Hair by Pavement

90. Race for the Prize by The Flaming Lips

91. Waitin' for a Superman by The Flaming Lips

92. Acquiesce by Oasis

93. This Is Music by The Verve

94. Lone Swordsman by Daniel Avery

95. Sparky's Dream by Teenage Fanclub

96. Common People by Pulp

97. Let Our Love Grow Higher by Eula Cooper

98. Regret by New Order

99. Keep On Keepin' On by Nolan Porter

100. Sit Down by James (Live at G-Mex) by James

101. Never Lose Your Sense Of Wonder by Yeti

102. Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over by The Charlatans

103. Life Is Sweet by The Chemical Brothers 

104. How Can I Tell You (To Love Me More) by Brooke Coombe

105-107. Wigan Casino - Three Before Eight - Time Will Pass You By by Tobi Legend, Long After Tonight Is All Over by Jimmy Radcliffe, I'm On My Way by Dean Parrish

108. Cobra by Geese

The Charlatans - Barrowland Ballroom - Dec 25

Last night The Charlatans played the famous Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom for the 17th time. By my reckoning, I think I've caught them 10/11 times out of 16. Pretty good going. They should really just book an annual night/weekender given their affinity with the venue, Glasgow and Scotland.

It's a home from home, like a cup final of a gig for band and audience who share and display genuine affection for each other.

The Charlatans played with, and generated, incredibly energy, lifting the crowd, who in turn, lifted the band to even higher heights.

Tim Burgess was like a kid in a sweet shop on a trolley dash. The happiest guy in Glasgow, a smile so wide and bright that The Charlatans probably didn't need a light show. He was beaming throughout, radiating pure positive vibes.

I first caught The Charlatans live in April 1994 when they played The Tramway as part of Radio 1 Sound City in Glasgow. Tim Burgess was mesmerising, dancing about the stage, looking super cool. The next day I queued in the rain to meet the band at Tower Records to get loads of CD's and records signed. 

I have no idea how many times I've seen the band or Tim play since. God, it's been over 31-years. I'd hazard a guess at between 50-60. The Charlatans and Tim are frequent visitors to Glasgow and were regulars at T in the Park. 

Riding in on the back of We Are Love, their 14th album, Tim had announced that the band would be playing a 2.5 hour set (with a short 10-minute break) with no support. Fans were encouraged to make sure they were in promptly for the band taking to the stage at 8.10pm. 

There was a small squad of us. Me, Lynn and our friends Robbie, Clare, Joe, Emma and Susie. I bumped into many more friends from down the years in the venue. Great to see my friend Gerry with his son Liam, he wasn't the only Dad introducing the next generation to The Charlatans last night - good to see.

Kingdom of Ours is a slow burner - an opener to allow the band to find their groove, which develops as the song goes on. Then Tim took his jacket off and Weirdo had the place bouncing. It  never stopped! That hammond sound! Beats and bass and then the piercing guitar - sublime!

For the Girls is a real favourite from the new album, super melodic and soulful. North Country Boy was euphoric. Many a Day a Heartache flowed effortlessly and by this point I had ventured from underneath the glitter ball to 3 rows from the front by Tony on keyboards.

Just in time for one of my very favourite Charlatans songs, the absolute banger that is Oh! Vanity. The band didn't let up, rolling out the extended groove of Let The Good Times Be Never Ending,  the powerful Blackened Blue Eyes and then .... Then. Modern(ish) day psychedelia, still sounding super fresh and vital.

No wonder the band needed a 10-minute break to compose themselves! 

10-minutes (on the dot) later, The Charlatans returned and started their second set of the night by jamming the intro to Forever, dedicated to Mani. This glorious song has a menacing groove, before breaking into a beautiful piano led section that ends with Tim declaring.

I know my star, I know my star

Is a brighter star, brighter star

Forever be in my arms

Gorgeous! 

The Charlatans were in full flight, new singles We Are Love and Deeper & Deeper sound like set staples, Tellin' Stories was gorgeous - the perfect winter warmer, Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over was spine tingling perfection, with Ride's Loz Colbert joining on percussion. Toothache was a deep, down n dirty groove, Soul Saver sounded like it could save lost souls and last night The Charlatans may well have managed that with their performance. Smiles all round. Life affirming stuff. A stunning trilogy from their eponymous album.

New song Appetite sounded even better live than on record, especially when Mark's guitar kicks in. In the Tall Grass was a welcome deeper cut, before Tim and co eased into top gear with a spellbinding One To Another - epic, powerful, groovey ... arms in the air on stage and off. The groove at the end was one you wanted to keep on going.

But ... as it ended, we were straight into another groove as The Only One I Know was teasingly started before the place exploded again. Wow! Hearing the Barrowland Ballroom sing the chorus of everyone has been burned before, everybody knows the pain was incredible. Like a mass choir, it was like our hymn. The Barrowland is our church.

Tim touched upon the audience response several times through the show - off the scale ... the best venue ... the best crowd ... the best city. 

Closing with a sublime Get On It, with another extended jam at the end, Loz Colbert gelled effortlessly with the rest of the band. Martin Blunt in shades, holding the groove throughout the set, Pete Salisbury on drums - driving things on, Tony on hammond and keys - not to mention his stunning backing vocals and Mark Collins on lead guitar.

BOOM an encore of Now Everything was followed by Tremelo Song (one of my real favourites from last night - from an extended list!) and then Sproston Green. The long intro started slow, almost delightfully sticky and sludgey, before becoming beautifully sugar sweet as the band stirred it up and found the mix.

This one knows, she comes and goes

And when she goes, she goes

What a night! Thank you to The Charlatans for giving me so many of them down the years, likewise to the Barrowland Ballroom and to all the fans who grace it. I am still buzzing!