Euros Childs and Teenage Fanclub weekender

Usually, if I don't write a blog within a day or two of catching a live show, then the blog doesn't happen. My greatest regret is not writing a blog on Martha Reeves and the Vandellas playing BAaD back in August 2021. Not only was it an incredible show by a living legend, my sister Carla got backstage afterwards and sang with Martha! Sadly this incredible moment wasn't captured on camera and I had left after the gig so I missed it! But any time I hear Martha, I think of this. 

Anyway ... point being, this is just a short blog to belatedly document a lovely weekend of live music! Euros Childs in the tiny Hug and Pint on Friday and then Teenage Fanclub (with Euros on keys) in the gigantic Hydro on Sunday!

The Hug & Pint, on Great Western Road, is a small but beautiful bar/restaurant upstairs and basement venue downstairs that has live music on almost every night of the year. Run by 432 presents and named after an Arab Strap album, the venue promotes and hosts and eclectic melting pot of music. 

Euros Childs certainly gave us an eclectic melting pot of a set on Friday night! Do you know what? This was probably my gig of the year. I was probably only aware of 2-3 songs in the set, but every song blew me away; personal and inventive lyrics, amazing melodies - sometimes loads of them in just one song, bridges, hooks, choruses, humour and a cracking band that could veer off on delicious tangents.

Stuntman opened the set, One Shoe was an early highlight, especially for one fan in front of me! At times Euros set was garage pop, other times psychedelia with a touch of electronica, while at others it was really beautiful ballads with sublime strings.

Euros is an energetic and entertaining front man, fizzing with energy, giving it 110%, total belief in his talent, his band and his songs. Everyone was captivated.

The middle of the set saw Euros and co perform a 20-minute song (I'm afraid I didn't catch the name) that continuously veered off on multiple tangents. There were mentions of orange skies and sunshine, I was spellbound and I am going to track this song down!

Spanish Dance Troupe by Euros' old band Gorkys Zyngotic Mynci was sublime, the strings, the harmonies, the melodies - just gorgeous. As an encore, Euros and co played his song Virgin Moon. This was stoned songwriting genius, a tale of Richard Branson owning the moon, what that meant, who went there ... barmy, bonkers and utterly brilliant. Melodies to die for.  

I am going to enjoy digging back into Euros extensive back catalogue over the coming months and wish I had explored it before now.

Then on Sunday night I headed back into Glasgow to see Teenage Fanclub supporting Vampire Weekend at the Hydro. I have to be honest and say that I was only going for the Fanclub. Vampire Weekend aren't really my thing. I caught them at the Barrowland when their first album came out, bought their second and then I don't think I have listened to them since. Very talented musicians, they just don't get me going.

Thankfully my brother sorted me with a pass, so I could add the Hydro to the extensive list of Glasgow venues that I have seen Teenage Fanclub play in. Not only that, my friend Lorna and I were in a box, centre stage and with access to a bar. Amazing!

Teenage Fanclub played a short set from 7.30-8pm and the vast majority of the crowd had arrived in time to see them. It was quite something to gaze out across thousands of heads to see Norman, Raymond, Dave, Euros and Francis on stage. There were no big screens, but we could still tell from our distance that Norman was beaming due to the way he moved and held his guitar.

I Can't Find My Way Home eased the band in, before they ramped it up a few notches with Start Again, About You and What You Do To Me. Raymond's wah-wah pedal sounded sensational on It's A Bad World before the vast Hydro (with top sections curtained off) was treated to the delight of a full length version of The Concept and a closing blast of Everything Flows.

The band were in good form and I look forward to finding out what they'll be up to in 2025. A run of August dates might hint at the release of a single ahead of a new album? Expect a Scottish date(s) to be announced in the near future.

Norman Blake and Euros Childs at Strathaven Hotel

Douglas McIntyre from Creeping Bent Records is involved with FRETS Creative in Strathaven. The creative hub have started organising regular shows at the Strathaven Hotel. Towards the end of 2019, both James Grant and Lloyd Cole played shows. Last night was the turn of Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake and Euros Childs .

Strathaven is a lovely little town in Lanarkshire. It's not the easiest to get to, certainly not by public transport and especially not in crazy wet and wild weather, but that didn't prevent Fanclub Fanclub members traveling up from London and down from Cromarty.

We were only traveling from Uddingston, a 25-minute drive away, but the back road from Hamilton to Strathaven was pretty scary in the wet and wild weather. We were glad to get in and grab some drinks from the bar in time to catch most of KiDD's set.

KiDD , on this occasion, were Stuart Kidd and Alan Clark on their acoustic guitars with a dash of 'mouthie'. I absolutely loved what I heard; beautiful melodies and harmonies and their guitars gelled well together. Kidd's new songs have a lovely sense of maturity and happiness to them - telling tales of setting up a home with his wife and child. I look forward to hearing them on record. They worked beautifully with just the guitars and I wonder if this is the route when he comes to recording, if he hasn't already.

After a short break Norman and Euros waltzed into the room like the bride and groom taking to the top table, quite fitting as the venue is usually booked for weddings - my cousin Katy got married there.

The duo opened with an acapella version of Sky Men by Joe Meek and it was really beautiful. Their voices sounded so beautiful together and their was a bit of a celtic feel to their take on it. There have long been rumours of Jonny (Norman and Euros side project) having an album of Joe Meek cover versions ready to go, was this a hint that they might finally release it?

We didn't have time to find out as what followed was a moment of slapstick comedy as Norman spilled a bottle of water and was worried about electrocuting himself. The water was cleared up and Stuart Kidd took to the stage to play some light percussion as he does on the Jonny album.

You can find the full setlist below. It was really good to hear most of the Jonny album live again. You Was Me flowed brillianty, Bread was brilliant, so clever, so melodic and so funny. Norman's I Don't Want Control Of You is even more stunning when it is stripped back and the shouts for Euros' Spanish Dance Troupe were granted and the song was very warmly received.

Whilst Norman was tuning Euros took up the tale of the two of them once owning an antiques shop, this yarn led to Norman auctioning off a vinegar bottle! The between song banter was hilarious and very good natured.

I'll Make Her My Best Friend was another of my favourites from the Jonny album, short, sweet and upbeat, while Circling The Sun was just sublime.

Never Alone is my favourite song on the Jonny album, there is so much imagery and emotion in the song, it's truly beautiful. And Norman's stripped back take on his Fanclub song I'm In Love was glorious. I hope it is recorded in that style at some point.

My sister had been hoping that Euros would play a song of his called Spin That Girl Around and was delighted he did. I hadn't heard it before. It's a cracker, really stunning, beautifully melodic.

Norman, Euros and Stuart then ended with a cracking cover of The Kids Are Alright by The Who that I hadn't heard in ages. I found myself blasting it out this morning.

A brilliant night. The Bluebells are playing an acoustic set at the next FRETS night in March and the April headline act will be announced on Monday. Sign up for their e-newsletter to get details first.