Confidence Man at the Barrowland

Sugar high!

Janet Planet on the shoulders of Sugar Bones

I have no idea how many times I've attended gigs at the famous Glasgow Barrowland since I first climbed the steps to the Ballroom back in 1993, 31-years ago! I am fortunate to hold so many incredible memories of singing, dancing, sweating, bouncing and being part of a community in such a wonderful venue. In the words of the late Maxi Jazz 'this is my church'.

Over those years I've witnessed some wild nights, when the famous sprung dancefloor has been tested to the limit by 2,000 people dancing, jumping, grooving, bouncing and pogo-ing to the likes of Basement Jaxx, Underworld, LCD Soundsystem, Primal Scream, The Charlatans and Oasis.

Lately, I've found the Barrowland to be a little more chilled. A 2024 audience has seemed more content to watch, film on phones and be polite and not bump into others.

That changed on Sunday night with a joyful, euphoric and theatrical performance by Confidence Man who came to town to celebrate their new album 3AM (LA LA LA). They sure know how to host and start a party!

Confidence Man came to my attention a number of years ago as they brought their first LP, Confident Music for Confident People, out on Heavenly Recordings. I always take an interest in what Heavenly release, they have impeccable taste and a knack for picking up on cool bands.

Greg Wilson got his hands on their Out The Window single and I fell head over heels for his remix. The late great Andrew Weatherall also heard something in that song and sprinkled some magic in a remix, also taking on Bubblegum.

I meant to go and see Confidence Man at Saint Luke's a couple of years back and was gutted that I didn't go after reports indicated they had lifted the roof off the place.

Then, in late June this year, we sat down as a family to watch Glastonbury and happened to catch Confidence Man play an absolutely blinding set. I immediately checked their tour dates and bought tickets for the Barrowland.

What a night!

Confidence Man, who are fronted by the highly energetic Janet Planet and Sugar Bones with Reggie Goodchild and Clarence McGuffie on production duties, blew everyone away.

Their set was pure pop, theatre, dance, like a festival, like a club ... generating an energy from the crowd that I haven't seen in many a year. People were going crazy, the Barrowland was bouncing!

Costume changes, dance routines, cheesey poses, cheeky smiles ... I'm not going to lie, I now have a total crush on Janet Planet! And I suspect my wife has one on Sugar Bones! 

They were on it from the off with the sublime electro pop of Now U Do, bounding from one side of the stage to the other, straight into Does It Make You Feel Good? The answer, was YEAH!

Confidence Man songs are sexy, funny, cool and UPBEAT with a capital U P B E A T! All My People tells the tale of someone with a toy boy. There is a great lyric - they say there's 7 wonders but my toy boy makes it 8. And hooks galore including;

With a face like that, there's no conversation

With an ass like that, there's no hesitation

C.O.O.L Party is full of funky bass and beats with Janet Planet talking about a cool party, leading to a huge fun chorus that they literally spell out. 

We moved from pop to a real club atmosphere for BREAKBEAT, BREAK IT DOWN (ON THE BASSLINE), SICKO and the glorious Boyfriend (Repeat).

My boyfriend wants to talk

My boyfriend talks too much

The Barrowland crowd were lapping it up. Everyone was pushing to get on the dancefloor and it was JUMPING! Janet and Sugar were absolutely on it, relentless with their energy and dancing, projecting it out to the audience who responded wholeheartedly.

A closing blast of SO WHAT and Holiday was incredible. If the Scottish Government are interested in green energy then they should hook up to the Barrowland dancefloor the next time Confidence Man are back in town!

The encore was the title track of their latest album 3AM (LA LA LA) and that was it. 75-minutes of electro pop club perfection. 2 pop stars taking us on a merry dance of hooks, synths, bass and beats.

I do hope Confidence Man return to the Barrowland for a couple of nights next year. It is the perfect venue for them and they are the perfect hosts for a Barrowland party!

Getting Away With It

Getting Away With It by Electronic is one of my all-time favourite songs. It is majestic pop courtesy courtesy of Bernard Sumner (New Order), Johnny Marr (The Smith) and Neil Tenant (Pet Shop Boys) coming together to create something quite perfect.

Sumner and Marr co-wrote the music, with Sumner and Tenant co-writing the lyrics and the opening line is a beauty, coming shortly after the catchy stabbing piano chords and dreamy strings.

I've been walking in the rain just to get wet on purpose

Bernard Sumner delivers potentially his best vocal performance. And he doesn't hang about in getting to the hook and chorus, his voice beautifully entwining with Neil Tenant's.

I've been getting away with it all my life (getting away)

However I look it's clear to see that I love you more than you love me

However I look it's clear to see that I love you more than you love me

The second verse follows instantly, Sumner pouring his heart out in a lyric Marr's other songwriting partner would have been proud of, but Sumner's performance and delivery is a million miles away from that of Morrissey.

I hate that mirror it makes me feel so worthless

I'm an original sinner but when I'm with you I couldn't care less

The song is brilliantly written (musically and lyrically), structured, performed and produced. I love singing it, I love dancing to it and I love listening to it.

I thought I gave up falling in love a long, long time ago

I guess I like it but I can't tell you, you shouldn't really know

I've been talking to myself just to suggest that I'm selfish

I've been trying to suggest that more is less and I'm repressed

It was the Electronic's debut single - I struggle to think of a better one, although the trio admittedly had quite a background! Here they are performing the song on Top of the Pops.

Greg Wilson, my favourite DJ also loves and appreciate this song - so much that he edited and 11-minute 30 second version of it!

Five for Friday 13th January 2012

The end of 2011 and the start of 2012 has dealt some devastating news to very good friends of mine with the loss of loved ones. Michael, Lesley and Jim; this one is for you. 

 
I turned on 6Music last week and heard this joyous romp by McAlmont and Butler, a brilliant single that rises and rises, soars and glides with ease.

On the same show (I'm being lazy here) I heard 'Your Love Keeps Lifting Me (Higher and Higher)' by Jackie Wilson. This is a real uplifting song, so simple, so effective. This was under strong consideration for the first dance at our wedding, eventually losing out to 'Baby I Love You' by The Ronettes.

Hmmm pretty hard to follow up such an exceptional song. So I'll go off on a bit of a tangent and go back to our friends Lesley and Jim and one of their favourite bands and one of their favourite songs. The Smiths output was nothing short of staggering; quality and quantity.

Closing this weeks Five for Friday is Electronic, the Manc 'supergroup' featuring New Order's Bernard Sumner with Johnny Marr from The Smiths. They produced some sublime singles and a good few albums during their time together. This has been getting some heavy play in my household recently after Greg Wilson did an extended re-edit that you can check along with loads of other great edits, mashes and mixes on his soundcloud page here.

Weighed Down by Tigercat

Music never fails to amaze or thrill me, sometimes more than others. Sometimes you need a bit of luck to discover something; a recommendation from a friend, you like a record sleeve, you fancy a singer or guitarist, you read a good review.....


I'm not massive on twitter, I can go days without logging in. However today when I logged in @roughtradeshop had tweeted about a 12-inch of a Jamie XX remix of Adele. I thought I'd click through and check how much it was whilst simultaneously checking it out on YouTube. I still like to buy vinyl, especially something a little different for the odd time I DJ at parties.  When I was on the Rough Trade website I did a wee search to see if they had any Greg Wilson remixes/edits. 


A 12-inch by a band I had never heard of was flagged up - the band in question were Tigercat with a track called 'Weighed Down'.

A quick YouTube search brought the video for the original of the track up on my screen. I was captivated immediately.


Fuzzy, scuzzy guitar starts the song off before the beat kicks in and the gorgeous singer (Natasha Adorlee Johnson) comes in, the vocals draw you in further. 'Down, weighed down, weighed down....'


The production sounds exceptionally fresh as the song builds, it lifts to another level at just over a  minute 'if you're asking me, I'm feeling like a child inside your eyes'.

With the closing two minutes really taking it on, I would love to hear this blasting out in a club. I can't wait to get my hands on the vinyl.


I've ordered the 12-inch and downloaded the TigerCat EP. Loving it.


Hope they come to Scotland some time.

Five for Friday 26.08.11

This weeks tunes are inspired by the DJ Greg Wilson. I can't get enough of his amazing selection of mixes over at his soundcloud account

Greg's mixes are flawless and he drops in some amazing surprises at times.


We start with 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' which appears at the end of his Bestival set, the edit played is just sheer joy. This is a rare and unreleased version that Greg may have got his hands on.

We then change pace with this Leo Zero edit/remix of 'No Tears To Cry' by Paul Weller - check the strings when they kick in, gorgeous.

Followed by a romp by ELO 'Last Train To London' again with glorious strings that Greg makes full use of in his Bestival set. The refain 'I really want tonight to last forever, I really want to be with you' would have sounded amazing at a festival.

Fleetwood Mac are next with the stunning 'Everywhere'. The opening lyric is just so catchy and emotional. 'Can you hear me calling, out your name? You know I'm falling and I don't know what to say.'

I'll end with a tune Greg has ended his sets with, the euphoric 'Movin' On Up' by Primal Scream.