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Tuesday nights (24th October) exhilarating, exceptional, exciting and energetic performance by Young Fathers in Glasgow's Barrowland Ballroom was pretty mind-blowing. Anyone who checks out their albums can hear how talented and clever Kayus Bankole, Graham 'G' Hastings and Alloysious Massaquoi are, but when you see and hear them in a live setting, it takes your appreciation to another level.
What makes them so special?
Well, the arrangements for one. Multi-layered vocals that bounce off each other and then encourage and allow one of them to veer off on a tangent. I was reminded of Sly & The Family Stone's arrangements on a few occasions.
And the beats and grooves. Everything stems from a groove. Some are repeated throughout the song, with just the odd little melody on top; whether guitar or xylophone. But the main thing is the groove.
Hastings produced the bands latest album, the wonderful Heavy Heavy (blogged on here) and on the Barrowland stage he would regularly walk over to a bank of equipment to tweak the sounds being created for the live instrumentation to vibe off.
In addition to the core trio of Young Fathers, Callum Easter (who played a stunning raw set in support) was back on stage playing guitar, keys/synths and xylophone, 2 female singers were on vocals and backing vocals and there was a drummer/percussionist.
The lighting was minimalistic, the backdrop was just a big grubby sheet. And it looked great!
What was my question again? Oh yeah, what makes them so special?
They have a raw energy that is somehow equally we don't give a fuck + we really give a fuck. Young Fathers care about their music, but don't give a fuck if you like it or not. They are just going to keep doing what they do. And what they do is different from anyone else out there.
So they stand out. A mile.
Photo by Allan Carroll
Hastings rarely smiles, staring out the crowd, singing from his heart, a conductor without a baton. Massaquoi is a beautiful singer, cracking dancer and can seemingly turn his hand to a number of instruments. Bankole is a fizzing ball of energy, getting up and getting down like a sex machine. Hanging off Hastings at times, bounding about like a kid in a sweet shop the rest.
Towards the end Hastings asked the crowd if we wanted more. Then nodded at a fired up Bankole and said "blame that c**t if you miss your last train home." And they kept going.
With 5 singers, we really were treated to a visual and audio box of delights. Everyone moved, everyone danced. The Barrowland crowd roared their appreciation and the famous Barrowland roar echoed around the halls after a spine tingling version of I Saw.
Although I couldn't help reflecting back to Barrowland gigs when I was younger, when the entire dancefloor jumped and danced as one, pogo-ing, banging into each other and creating a beautifully sweaty and chaotic mess. Are those days gone? Are we too well behaved? Are too many people bothered about getting their phone out to video it? Or was it just cause it was a Tuesday night?
Hastings did casually mention Tuesday night at the Barrowland a couple of times and had to encourage the crowd to be louder a couple of times.
But the crowd were up for it. Just in a more modern way. And Young Fathers certainly were DEFINITELY up for it.
Highlights?
Get Up and Wow back to back got things going, but a beautiful In My View and Low showed a different side to the band, while I Heard was the first song of Young Fathers I really fell for. Released 10-years ago on Tape Two - I still think it's a distant cousin of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On? Yeah - that good.
OK, it was all one big highlight! But Drum was hugely uplifting and joyous, Only God Knows was super energetic and catchy. Like soul, pop, gospel from the streets.
Rice was the band in full flight, hollering, layering and creating a party vibe. Geronimo is one of my favourites from Heavy Heavy, a beautiful gospel style groove, super cool.
The aforementioned I Saw was deliciously dirty, dangerous and exciting. Beautifully raw and energetic, those dynamic vocals at the start and then the mellow groove.
I saw what I saw
I keep on walking the line
And then it all kicks in again and goes off on one, the vocals leading, the groove and beats remaining constant. Song of the year? Has to be up there. It is up there! The band extended it, keeping that groove going and the Barrowland erupted afterwards; an extended cheer that rose again just as it was dying, feet stomping, hands clapping, voices raised.
Young Fathers didn't leave the stage. They are not people who waste time. Closing with Toy, Bankole was last to leave the stage, vibing off the audience.
Go and see Young Fathers if you get a chance.
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