Teenage Fanclub live in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is a city that I am exceptionally fond of. Back in May/June 2008, my wife (girlfriend at the time) and I spent a month living in an apartment in the Palermo Viejo district of the city at the end of 1-year travelling around the world.

After a year of almost constant travel and not really staying anywhere more than 4-6 days, it was great to have a base. We embraced living in the city - joining our local gym, hanging out in the bars and cafes and wandering around museums and (Evita's) graveyards.

Ice cold Quilmes beer, incredible red wine, the best steak ever (we went to La Cabrera - a traditional parrillas - 3 times it was so good!) , Tango in the streets, Boca v River, River v San Lorenzo, a 2-day trip to Iguazu Falls, United beating Chelsea in the Champions League final ... I have so many good memories.

Back in the Day - with brown hair, in the stadium early for Boca v River

Not the greatest game, a 1-0 win for Boca, but an INCREDIBLE atmosphere

So, I was excited for Teenage Fanclub when the band announced that their South American tour would include a visit to Buenos Aires for the very first time. I thoroughly enjoyed the bands Instagram updates from Brazil and Argentina. It looked like they had a blast, played their hearts out and felt the passion from their South American fans. There is a mini-documentary in the making! If they go back I'll offer to go and make it!

Speaking of which, Juan Marioni from Buenos Aires is a member of the Teenage Fanclub Fanclub who I have become friends with online. Juan is a very talented musician - check Juan's Bandcamp page for his Norman, Raymond and Gerry EP's of cover versions and also his Songs of Teenage Fanclub covers album.

I love Juan's versions. There is something about songs originating in Bellshill making their way across the world and being covered that warms my heart. 

Juan has been waiting to see his favourite band for quite some time! So, I asked if he would write a blog on the experience. Now that Juan has had time to recover, he has written a beautifully passionate, funny (I laughed out loud at the Mongolia section) and soulful blog that portrays his deep love for the band.

I'm all in if the band make it back to Argentina! If my wife and kids let me! Maybe we will all go!

Guest blog - 1,130,112,000 seconds. Teenage Fanclub live in Buenos Aires.

1 130 112 000 seconds. That's how long it took Teenage Fanclub to play in Argentina. Yes, I double-checked the calculation. The time that passed from their live debut on November 17, 1989, until they finally stepped onto the stage of C ART MEDIA on September 9, 2025. A wait full of disappointments and "almosts" that never were, but which, in the end, turned into pure glory. This is the story of how, after so long, everything came together so we could celebrate our love fest with the band.

A while ago, I found out that back in 2011, my beloved Teenage Fanclub had played in Brazil. Missing the possibility of (maybe) travelling and seeing them wasn't the biggest disappointment; the real heartbreak was not having known about their visit to a "nearby" country. Social media wasn't what it is today. The taste turned even more bitter when I was told they had already been there in 2004, "close" to my neighborhood. I say "close" in quotes because Brazil is not that close, and São Paulo is 2,238.8 km from Buenos Aires, a distance similar to the one that separates Bellshill from Rome.

But hope is never lost. Around that time (2014), Lollapalooza began to be held in Argentina, and I thought that was my chance. Thanks to that "industry monster," I was able to see Johnny Marr that same year, who, by the grace of some divinity, did a sideshow—going to a festival with 1500 bands in less than 12 hours is an ordeal for me and my back. Every time a new edition was announced, the first thing I did was read the fine print on the flyer looking for the shows "less interesting to the public," but Teenage Fanclub never appeared on the lineup. The possibility of seeing them at a proper venue was fading. At that point, I would have settled for a 20-minute set at 4 p.m. on stage number 7 of said festival... or another.

Then, Gerry's departure made me doubt whether the band would continue, and the 2020 pandemic arrived. The years went by. Until one day in 2024, I read in an Instagram post: "Teenage Fanclub in... Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia." "No, now that's it," I thought. "They're never coming to Argentina!" Outrage! They play in Mongolia—and I have nothing against Mongolians, I love them!—but if there's a distant, inhospitable place with no visible rock culture, that's the definition of Mongolia. I swear I gave up then. I thought my only chance would be to travel to the UK or Europe at some point to catch one of their tours, like my friend and colleague from Los Andes, Sebastián Rubin, who saw them in 2018.

They say miracles exist, and in 2025, a light of hope emerged. At the beginning of the year, the São Paulo date for September was announced, and I started planning a trip to Brazil. The planets seemed to align—they didn't play Planets at the show, the 1st absence from the setlist—: 

I feel the planets surround me 

They gather 'round me 

A little later, I found out through "secret sources" that "it seems Teenage is coming to Buenos Aires"... At last! From having to travel 2100 km to São Paulo to taking the bus for three stops to get to the venue, it was truly a sign that God—if he existed—thought of Argentinians this time—God Knows It's True... the second major absence from the setlist.

Seeing Teenage Fanclub live was one of those pivotal moments in my life that I will never forget, an event I waited more than 34 years for. As a fan, as a musician, as a person. Since 1992, when I fell under the spell of Bandwagonesque, I've been waiting for them. Because that's what it is, ladies and gentlemen: a spell these guys have cast on me—and on so many others around the world. And what better than they themselves in Baby Lee - another one missing from last night's repertoire...—to explain what they did to me: I'm enchanted, I've fallen under your spell How can I resist When you cast them so well? And yesterday, it happened. Teenage Fanclub in Buenos Aires! The owners of the recipe, the creators of the special sauce.

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The build-up and the show

Before the main event, Sebastián Arpesella played and gave a soft and delicate show. A former member of Grand Prix, my colleague Rubin's band in the '90s, who was invited onto the stage and reunited for a self-tribute, performing two songs. The anxiety was growing, and on my way to the bathroom, I saw Euros Childs listening to the opening band. I managed to say hello; he was the only member of the band I could get close to. I didn't make him uncomfortable with my fanaticism, I just thanked him for being here.

Around 9 p.m., the assistant with his flashlight, like a Bat-Signal, announced to the sound engineer that the start of the show was imminent. And so it was: the guys came on, and emotion flooded me. I was three metres from the security barrier, seeing my idols in person for the first time. The concert kicked off with Tired of Being Alone and I sang all the lyrics, sometimes phonetically, and I was already losing my voice! I thought to myself, "I'm seeing them! They're right there!" Then, the first classic, About You and the first ovation came. What I didn't like was the change in key; I think there are songs that are very difficult to lower in tone, and this is one of them.

The first part of the set, with Ray at the front, continued with Endless Arcade which was the best version of the first three songs, with its Barrett-esque psychedelic influences. Previously, Norman made the first greeting, thanking the audience and acknowledging that it had taken them 36 years to be here.

Now it was Norman's turn to take the lead vocals. When he plays an D major, I speculate out loud: Norman 3! But I was wrong, it was the turn of The Cabbage one of my favorites from Thirteen, an album I love and enjoyed a lot at the time—it was the first one I bought contemporary to its release. A highlight was Ray's minimalist solo with the classic rock lick that XTC calls Ernie.

Then came the second big ovation with Alcoholiday and I told my friends Fer and Pablo, "This is the riff of my youth" when the song gets heavy metal, before all I know is all I know.... The "Norman set" closed with the beautiful I Don't Want Control of You which, to my taste, sounded a bit more subdued than the recorded version, less brilliant. Let's grant that the album version is practically unbeatable! 

During the video Barby Recanati (see below) did with Ray via Zoom before the show, he mentioned that he was a fan of Syd Barrett and The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. And at this concert, I started to detect details in their songs! I already mentioned it in Endless Arcade and in Everything Is Falling Apart the next song, that feeling of a mantra that abounds in their compositions appeared. The solo, which uses the Mixolydian scale, transported me to other landscapes. At the end of the version, Euros added a detail that isn't on the album, and the song started to sound like Kraftwerk (!).

There was a change of instruments: Norman on bass, guitar with capo for Dave, and Fender Telecaster with open tuning for Ray. The audience chanted "Ole, ole, ole, Teenage Fanclub!", and 120 Mins arrived. Raymond at his best, another of my all-time favorites, with lyrics that resonated with me in those years: I don't wanna be alone, I don't wanna be well known. Great work by Dave on the lead guitar; I think that was "his moment." 

It continued with It's All in My Mind another "new" classic. Super tight, in my opinion, one of their best songs: minimalist and modern. And we got to Metal Baby People were dancing and singing, and the group shone with another furious version, with a very Rolling Stones ending.

At this point, I was surprised by how the band sounded. I didn't imagine they were so precise and that they rocked this way live. Francis is the engine and has the right beat, at the necessary volume. In this big venue, he came through with power and precision.

Norman said something about Raymond showing us the use of the wah-wah. We speculated among the nearby audience, like people in the bleachers at a soccer match, about which song would follow. I guessed that It's a Bad World was coming, another high point in Raymond's repertoire. 

What You Do to Me followed, and the crowd exploded, chanting from start to finish and even generating a small but lively mosh pit. By this point, we were already surrendered to the Fanclub, and the musicians were seduced by the Argentine audience.

I imagined that—since they had said they would play classics for being their first show—they would perform Your Love Is the Place,  in my opinion, Raymond's highest point. So I let myself be carried away by this song, although, to my taste, the tempo was a bit slow and I was expecting a more energetic version.

A friend and former student, Santi, approached me and hugged me at the start of I'm in Love. The first thing he said to me was: "I'm in ecstasy," and he perfectly described my feeling. I borrow his words. I get distracted and chat with him for a while, so the song, which is short on its own, flies by.

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The final stretch and the encores

There's a moment of "rest" after so much high, and I think the beautiful version of Middle of My Mind also serves as a breather for the musicians; it sounds better live than on the album. As a digression, there were no vinyls in the merch, which I think is a great shame, since here it's very expensive to get a record. And well, for now, I'll continue without having Nothing Lasts Forever.

Now we enter the final stretch and another peak moment: someone from the audience asks for it, and Norman grants it, Neil Jung. The "stadium" came down, and the group delighted in the crowd's singing of the solo melody, which continued even after the song ended. The band applauded their Argentine audience. Raymond now tells us: The World'll Be OK and we returned to the psychedelic side, alternating a yin-yang of atmospheres with the previous and the next song: The Concept.

And the concept is Norman's melodies, which have that je ne sais quoi, that touch that makes them eternal, irresistible, and that cut before the coda in which time seems to be suspended and is eternal... and the coda itself, one of the most beautiful in the history of rock, I dare say, only surpassed by Hey Jude. Again, the audience sang in ecstasy, Ray's enormous solo, and the end. Ovation and chants asking for what Norman had already announced before starting the song: they're leaving, but they're coming back.

Raymond's reminder

As far as I'm concerned, they should keep going, because there are many more songs I'd like to hear. The chosen ones for the encores were Back in the Day, Falling into the Sun and Mellow Doubt - a gift for the people, since I haven't seen them play it as an encore on another setlist, although I could be wrong.

And we got to the farewell. Norman genuinely thanked them for having come down to Argentina and told us that they had wanted to do it for a long time, but it hadn't happened. Today it did, and I hope they come back soon, because we need them. Everything Flows is the classic final song of every show for a while now. A priority, you know it, but you have to experience it, you have to live it! I was in Flow mode after the demolishing ending, a few inches off the ground.

Several friends and former students approached me and repeated the same words: "Thanks to you, I'm here today." The evangelism bore fruit, and although we're not a gigantic crowd, yesterday more than 1000 of us, Argentine Fannies, had our moment of glory, our celebration of love for the band. And we gave them the warmth we have on this side of the world and, from what I felt, it was more than enough for our heroes on stage.

I waited a long time, and yesterday it happened. Teenage Fanclub in Buenos Aires: beautiful, emotional, long-awaited, unique.

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Setlist

Tired of Being Alone / About You / Endless Arcade / The Cabbage / Alcoholiday / I Don't Want Control of You / Everything Is Falling Apart /120 Mins / It's All in My Mind / Metal Baby / It's a Bad World / What You Do to Me / Your Love Is the Place / I'm in Love / Middle of My Mind / Neil Jung / The World'll Be OK / The Concept 

Encores Back in the Day / Falling into the Sun / Mellow Doubt / Everything Flows

Songs of Gerard

 

My love for Teenage Fanclub has generated many friendships and conversations over the years. Recently I started one with Juan Marioni from one of my favourite city's in the world - Buenos Aires in Argentina. My wife and I were very fortunate to spend a month living in the Palermo Viejo district of the city back in 2008 for the last month of a year travelling around the world. It really is a wonderful city; music, art, dancing, wine, steak, football ... oh to go travelling again.

Juan has recently started recording and releasing a series of EP's where he covers songs from each of Teenage Fanclub's 3 songwriters. Back in June he released Songs of Raymond  , which I missed upon release, and he's just let his Songs of Gerard EP fly out into the world.

I still marvel that my favourite band has touched people around the world through their music. So I thought I'd catch up with Juan to find out how he discovered the band and what led him to record his EP's in celebration of McGinley, Love and Blake.

It's interesting hearing the songs being performed by Juan, my personal highlight from the Gerry EP was Shock and Awe, a lovely nod to Lightships in the intro and the lyrics really stood out as I listened with the latest news from Afghanistan flickering silently on the TV across the room.

Wake me when the conflict is over

I aim for a peaceful life

Shake me when this madness is no more

I favour a peaceful life

Meanwhile, Raymond's Genius Envy is covered with more than a nod to Bob Dylan and I love how Juan harmonises with himself, then drops in a couple of very apt Beatles  in the outro. Apt, as the song contains an absolute classic McGinley line.

So what if you see other people

I only get jealous when I listen to The Beatles

Juan has still to select and record the songs for his Songs of Norman EP. Keep an eye on his Bandcamp page.

Interview

How are you? How are things in Argentina?

I'm fine thank you, hope you're OK. Argentina is always a troubled country ... so we are in the same situation as usual. With the pandemic, we didn't reach the point to choose who would get a ventilator. The vaccination is a little bit slow but it's on its way.

Can you remember the first time you heard Teenage Fanclub?

I don't remember the first time, but I remember the day I thought 'this is special'. I remember walking on a really nice sunny, kind of spring day (or maybe Autumn). One of those days when you feel happy to be alive! I think it was 1991/2. Bandwagonesque was out, so I estimate the year with that date in mind. I was in my hometown, Buenos Aires, walking the streets of the Palermo neighbourhood, going back home after a session with my therapist, listening to Bandwagonesque that was recorded on to a cassette tape. Something 'hot me' that day and I think that I was listening to Sidewinder at that point. I think the first song I ever heard was The Concept, but I also recall seeing a clip on MTV of God Knows It's True and that song blew my mind! So those were the first memories of my first impressions.

Why did you fall in love with the band?

The sound and the production were what I liked first. Those airy vocals sung in 2 or 3 part harmony. And in the back those noisy but at the same time intelligent guitars, the blend of classic and modern sound. Also the songwriting reminded me of music I like - sixties style.

Have you seen them live? What kind of venues do they play in Argentina?

Sadly I have never seen them live.

What other Scottish bands do you enjoy listening to?

One of my favourite bands is Belle and Sebastian and I also like Primal Scream a lot. Parallel TFC bands Lightships. Primary 5, Nice Man, Jonny, JAMC, Donovan, New Mendicants (half Scottish). I also recently discovered Kevin Robertson.

What made you decide to do your Songs of ... EP's?

I like to record at home and now in the pandemic, I have more time. I bought a new computer and I was thinking of making a thematic record ... maybe a 60's garage rock selection ... well ... finally I thought 'why not do covers of one of my all-time favourite bands?' At first I thought about recording a selection of songs but then I realised that each composer deserves an EP. Selecting and recording the songs made me appreciate their songwriting even more.

You cheekily throw in excerpts from other songs - some great Beatles sections (appropriately) in your version of Genius Envy and a Lightships riff in one of your Gerry songs. Did you plan that, or fall into it?

It was inspiration, purely spontaneous. Those ideas came to me in an instant, while I was in the process of recording the songs.

What do you think of Endless Arcade?

I think it's a good album, it gets better with every listen. It was surprising when I first heard it because there were some new directions in their style. Of course I miss the presence of Gerry. I think it is great that they keep going on making new music.

When can we expect your Songs of Norman EP? Have you recorded it yet?

I haven't started it yet, I don't know what songs I will select but I have candidates. I think that the production will be in the same acoustic vibe as the other two. And you can expect the same dedication that I put into the Raymond and Gerry EP's.

Lastly, what music are you listening to at present?

I've been listening to Teenage Fanclub a lot. I've been producing 2 albums for Argentinian musicians/bands - Gaspar Tessi and Piloto de Juguetes, so I've been listening to their music all day. Also a lot of power pop, garage rock, psychobilly, rockabilly and sixties music - some quite obscure compilations. Bands recently - XTC, Dukes of Strathosphear, Those Pretty Wrongs, Beach Boys, Love , Magnetic Fields, Matthew Sweet, Pernice Brothers ...

Diego Armando Maradona

The mere mention of Maradona's name makes me smile and reminisce. 

I was 10 in 1986, when Maradona inspired his team to win the World Cup in Mexico. I remember that summer being sunny and hazy. My life revolved around football. My brother and friends would play morning, noon and night on the field across the road from our house, only stopping for drinks, snacks, lunch, dinner and for a 10p mix up from the ice-cream van in the evening.

Sometimes there would be a few of us and we'd play what we called 'pass-y shoot-y' where someone would go in goals and the other 3 of us would pretend we were in a game, making up moves and skills and I would commentate.

Other times we would play 'world cup / cuppy' where there would be a keeper and he would throw or kick it out and 5 or 6 of us would justle for the ball and then attempt solo runs to get a goal, or you could poach/mooch around the goal hoping for a rebound. You had to score a goal or two to get through to the next round, someone would go out and eventually you would have 2 players in the final. Sometimes we would play 'cuppy doubles'.

And then, usually in the evening, there would be enough players for teams. Anything from 4-a-side to 8-a-side. Even kids who didn't like football would get pulled into make up the numbers. The field was where everyone in the estate would go to hang out; either playing or watching football. There are hardly any kids in the estate any more as most people who stayed there in the 80's still stay there. The kids have long left and now have kids of their own. 

I always feel sad when I see new estates being thrown up with no patches of grass or playing fields for the kids to play on. Every patch of ground is used for housing, it's  shame.

For the summer of 1986 I wanted to be called 'Muradona' 

It didn't catch on!

Back in 1986 there wasn't a great deal of football on TV. Scottish football was really highlights on Sportscene on a Saturday night and then Scotsport on STV on a Sunday. There would be the occasional live match, I always seem to remember the Skol (League) Cup Final being live on TV with a couple of thrillers between Aberdeen and Rangers.

So when the World Cup came around it was like a feast of football! Maradona was just sensational. He would set off on solo runs regularly, either winning fouls, or creating space for his team mates. And then of course there were the goals.

Maradona scored 5 goals and created 5 goals during Argentina's run to winning the World Cup. Despite all kinds of attempts to stop him, by fair means or (largely by)) foul, he was simply unplayable.  

Watching Maradona was as exciting as anything I can remember. You were willing him to get the ball to see what he would do with it. His low centre of gravity (5ft 4), stocky legs, insatiable desire to run forwards through walls of defenders, riding high tackles, waltzing round people with a dink of the shoulder, lifted not only his team, but his country and football fans around the world.

Maradona looked great too; the number 10, the Puma King boots, playing with the iconic Adidas Tango ball. I've enjoyed watching classic footage and seeing some incredible images being posted on social media.

A young Diego checking some records in 1980

After his breathtaking solo run against England everyone wanted to 'do a Maradona' out on the park across from our parents. There was a distinct lack of passing and crossing for a while as everyone set about trying to beat the entire team on their own.

Post World Cup football fans set about trying to get footage of Maradona. I remember we bought a VHS documentary on the world cup as well as VHS cassettes of Italian goals of the season and things like that.

Maradona carried his World Cup form into the 1986/87 season with Napoli, leading them to their first ever Serie A title. It should be noted that no team from the south of Italy had ever won, the league had been dominated by northern teams like AC Milan, Inter, Roma and Juventus.

The streets of Napoli erupted, murals were painted, mock funerals were held for AC Milan and Juventus and 9-months later a whole host of little Diego's were named in Maradona's honour.

The club were runners up for the next two seasons before regaining the title in 1989/90, also winning the UEFA Cup in 1989.

In short, Maradona transformed Napoli, he lifted a club and a city. The effects of his time there are still rippling today, as evidenced by the outpouring of grief in the form of a celebration of his life when news of his death broke.

Maradona was struggled through the 1990 World Cup with an injury, but he still captained his country to another final, his will to win almost as important as his skills. 

Maradona's career and life was eccentric and erratic post 1990. It had been for a while, but his talent and achievements masked what was going on off the field. He seemed hell bent on destruction, determined to live life at 100 mph. A couple of years ago a video of Maradona out his tree dancing with his eyes shut ended up becoming a Facebook account - the same video every day over dubbed with all kinds of songs. It was briefly amusing yet it became painfully sad, too much of his life became sad. You just wanted to see him fit and healthy, using his influence and skills within the game. 

I'll always remember Diego Armanda Maradona for that 4-year period from 1986-1990. He shone brightly before it, he offered glimpses of genius afterwards, but for that 4-year period he was the most exciting individual player I have ever seen.

Depending on what you are using to read this blog (phone /tablet/laptop) here are a couple films that highlight the genius of Maradona. There are many more on YouTube

1. Every assist and goal during the Mexico 1986 World Cup
2. His best goals and skills with Napoli