Go North and Rock Ness 2010

Well I have just about recovered from 5-days of music and fun. From Thursday through to Sunday I was up at GoNorth and Rock Ness and last night I was in Brel for a special show with Miaoux Miaoux and Futuristic Retro Champions. I'll blog separately about the Brel show. So here goes with what I can remember from the weekend….

Thursday 10th June   

Lynn and I left the house around 10.15am for the drive north to Inverness, soundtracked by Blondie, Vampire Weekend and The Strokes. The sun was shining and we arrived in good time to check into the excellent Redcliffe Hotel just before 2pm.

We dumped our stuff and headed into town to pick up our pre-booked bus tickets to Rock Ness for the weekend. Citylinking were providing shuttle buses to and from the site and they proved to be excellent. Lynn decided it was a bit colder than anticipated and went back to the hotel to change while I nipped into the Ramada for a GoNorth session on music management featuring the managers of Primal Scream, Wet Wet Wet (and Texas), Stevie Wonder and The View. It proved to be a very useful session with some entertaining stories involving Mani and Bobby G.

I caught up with Lynn and we then headed to the excellent Castle Tavern to meet Julian (aka Miaoux Miaoux) and his brother Ben who were tucking into some very tasty looking food. We joined them for a beer and then decided to head back into the Town Centre for a 5.30pm meeting outside the Mad Hatters with the Detour team. http://www.myspace.com/detourscotland is a multi-media extravaganza that started late in 2009. It is led by two guys with energy, passion, ideas and a love of music and fun. They run a podcast, kidnap bands and take them to play in strange locations and have progressed from a monthly night in Glasgow to monthly tours taking in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness.

For GoNorth they decided to run a magical mystery tour to an Island in the middle of the River Ness, so armed with cans of beer and led by haribo's and the promise of Jaffa Cakes at the destination - as well as a live performance by Bronto Skylift - we set off. Also making the journey was author, journalist, musician and DJ John Robb (Goldblade) who has written the fantastic book 'The Stone Roses and the Resurrection of British Pop'. Being a huge Roses fan I took the time to chat to John and he was very friendly and keen to chat. I introduced him to my friend Craig who is currently working on an excellent project in Manchester called Orange Rockcorps where people volunteer their time and are rewarded with amazing gigs and club nights in return. John was very interested in the project and offered to help in whatever way he could - what a nice guy!

The sun was splitting the sky as we waked along the river, crossing a bridge on to a small leafy island. Our hosts led us to a small ampitheatre with Bronto Skylift in the middle with a small dumkit, mic and a couple of amps. After the jaffa cakes appeared and a beer was cracked, Bronto Skylift burst into life with some ferocious tunes, clearly enjoying the setting and the chance to play to some people who had probably never heard of them before - let alone heard their music. Their short sharp 20-minute set wasn't to everyone's liking judging by the lack of interest in the cd's they were selling afterwards, but the crowd gave them a good cheer for their efforts.

We headed back into town and Lynn and I went to dinner with Craig, while Julian and Ben went to get the equipment for the night. After some much needed food our energy was restored for the night ahead and we wandered over to Mad Hatters (above Hootanny's) to check in. Miaoux Miaoux came on at 8.30pm sharp. At 8.25pm I was a little worried that there were only 5 people in the room, but such is the nature of multi-venue events that at 8.30pm on the dot people started to arrive from nearby venues and by the end of the first song there was a crowd of 30 plus.

I did have issues with the sound guy who really didn't seem to know what he was doing, it should have been a lot louder and I think he took even more stick from Ben. Meanwhile Miaoux Miaoux was charming the crowd with a mix of tracks off his debut album 'Rainbow Bubbles' and his EP 'Blooms' and the room didn't seem to mind the volume. Miaoux Miaoux's ability to move between creating beats, melodies, guitar riffs and beautiful vocals is always a joy to watch and it was great to watch the response in the room.

The sound kicked in towards the end of the set and new track 'Knitted' got feet moving and heads nodding before the stunning 'Snow' with brought the set to a close. The gradual progression from a guitar riff and lopped piano into the start of the song is one of the best things I have heard in a while and it only gets better with the verse leading to a 'woah-oh' before the refrain of 'I know I can't be my own best friend, I know I can't be my own best friend'. Check it out at www.myspace.com/miaouxmiaoux

After packing up we came back down to find a very interesting looking band called Mothercoat setting up on stage. Coming from Japan this was quite a trip for them and it was pleasing to see that the Miaoux Miaoux crowd hung around and were joined by quite a few more. The band had their own sound engineer and the difference was notable. Shame that GoNorth had such an inexperience sound engineer for other bands - you never know who is going to be watching you so it is important to get the sound right.

Enough of my moaning - Mothercoat rocked Inverness. Their punk pop vibe, cool look, music and songs went down a treat. I imagine that a lot of the crowd had been drinking most of the evening, so to come on at 9.30pm with energetic and eclectic music was perfect timing. The crowd lapped it up and the band were suitably charged as a result, racing through a briliant set, only pausing to speak in broken English and thank the crowd for coming. The front guy played synths and guitar and was wiry and looked like he might explode with excitement, the cute girl bass player sang a couple of tunes and kept the groove going along with the drummer, while the lead guitarist threw poses that wouldn't have looked out of place at Hampden.

It's always exciting to catch a new band and be in the right place at the right time - this was definitely one of them.

In need of fresh air, we went out on to the street to decide where to go next. My memory escapes me but I think we went across the road to see The Law, deciding to leave almost as soona s we arrived. Heading down the street we popped into the City Bar and caught a bit of Kitty The Lion's set. The band (complete with double bass) were crammed into a space at the front of the pub at floor level and this seemed to help with the atmosphere. I think the later you go on at GoNorth - the better.

We left as the band finished to hot foot across town to try to catch Woodenbox With A Fistful Of Fivers and just caught their last two songs while ordering drinks at the bar. By this stage people were openly wandering around the streets with beer and wine glasses, so we joined them and attempted to catch the end of Meursalt, only to fail and head to the closing party at the Ironworks.

The first act on LED were clearly influenced by Daft Punk in terms of visual content (dressed in black suits and masks but with dayglo edges) and music - no bad thing. Everyone was in the mood to party and these guys got the party started. Sadly it all went a little flat after that when a Scottish hip hop act came on that were terrible.

So with that we headed off to our hotel and crashed out.

Friday 11th June

We set the alarm for 9am so we could head down for breakfast before the 9.30am curfew. We met Craig and Leeanne who looked as rough as us and we all tucked into a Scottish breakfast and discussed our plans for the day. Craig was dj-ing at the Strongbow tent so was heading to the site early, while I wanted to attend a couple of GoNorth workshops while Lynn wandered around the shops.

I met Julian at the Ramada at noon and we had a good chat before heading to a PRS and PPL workshop and Making Money From Music - both were very good. I then met Lynn and we headed to get the 4pm bus to Rock Ness with Julian saying he would wait for his brother to finish some work and get us in there.

The bus only took 20-minutes to get to the site and we picked up our passes for the weekend. Upon entering the site we were amazed at how 'up for it' the crowd were, with the outdoor Rizla arena resembling a scene from Ibiza. We headed straight to the Strongbow tent and bumped into our friend Andrew who told us that Nevada Base were playing the Wisemans tent at the back of 5pm. So we promptly headed over there and also met Laura and Kirsten from Pooch and enjoyed a good chat before settling down to enjoy Nevada Base do what they do in somewhat strange surroundings. They played their usual cool set, electro/house/disco combining to create something quite special - think DFA and LCD Soundsystem and you are on the right track.

Crystal Castles were the first band on the main stage and we wandered down to see them. There was a big crowd there and they came on to a great ovation with the singer Alice Glass seemingly intent on living the rock star dream by walking on swigging from a bottle of Jack Daniels. They made a lot of noise without staring a song and created a big surge at the front, resulting in security coming on and asking everyone to calm down and take 3 steps back. This didn't seem to matter to Glass who jumped on the drum riser and proceeded to smash at cymbols with her mic and come back down the front and attempt to jump in the crowd. By this stage we lost interest and went back to the Strongbow tent.

As we gradually topped up the previous nights alcohol levels, we wandered around the site and after hanging out at the Strongbow tent again (something that would prove to be a regular occurrence over the weekend) we headed to the Main Stage for Friendly Fires. The festival site slopes down into a natural arena with a lovely view of Loch Ness, the stage perched in front, a cracking setting for a festival/gig.

The sound proved to be a little disappointing however, despite the band brining in a horn section for the occasion. Ed MacFarlane shimmied around the stage, but in all honesty he doesn't have the presence or charisma of a Bobby Gillespe, Ian Brown or Tim Burgess. He didn't exactly give the audience confidence when he said things like 'we'll get going yet' or 'we're just getting started' more than halfway through the bands set. 'Skeleton Boy' did liftt things, but this wasn't a great set.

After a quick wander we were back at the main stage for Fatboy Slim in his 'spiritual home' and things started promisingly when he came on stage to 'Praise You' only for the set to develop into a rather heavy and hard hitting one that went down well with the majority of the crowd, but not with me and Lynn so we opted for an early bus back to the hotel and a good nights kip. Party animals that we are, but it really wasn't our type of music.

Saturday 12th June

Exhausted after 2-days/nights drinking and socialising we opted to miss breakfast and lay in bed until after 11am. It was nice to have a shower and wander into town to get some food from a brilliant Hog Roast stall before getting the bus back to the site. We got in in time to see Craig McGee dj-ing at the Strongbow Tent and he got the crowd going by playing New Order, Stone Roses, LCD Soundsystem and Happy Mondays - as well as some banging tunes the party people.

My memory is a little hazy but we caught Any Colour Black later that afternoon in the Strongbow Tent as well as Brian from Spectrum dj-ing. ACB played really well and the Strongbow tent must be congratulated for putting on so many unsigned bands from Scotland alongside some great dj's.

Either before or just after that we caught Mothercoat playing the GoNorth tent and they drew a good crowd following the buzz performance from GoNorth. They were very excited again and ended the set with all of them up on the drum riser banging everything in sight.

The sun came out from behind a cloud and we caught Plan B on the main stage. I recognised a couple of his recent hits and his band were very tight, all in all not a bad set.

Next up was 2 Many DJ's. One of the best nights I have ever had out clubbing was when Too Many DJ's played the Arches in Glasgow, cutting and pasting their way through music of many genres, dropping 'Seven Nation Army' by the White Stripes several times to a rapturous reception.

Around this time I spotted the singer from Mothercoat on someone's shoulders bouncing around like a loony. The guy then proceeded to get his cock out with the rest of Mothercoat looking on and taking pictures - welcome to Scotland!

They didn't disappoint the Rock Ness crowd, playing an incredible mix and showcasing their fantastic taste in music and their mixing abilities. One of many highlights was MGMT's 'Kids' and when they dropped in several songs with Money in the title - including Abba and Pink Floyd - with the graphic in the background  displaying the sleeves, they ended cutting them up too.

Feeling good, we headed to the GoNorth tent to meet Julian before his set. Being on at the same time as Ian Brown and Aphex Twin wasn't ideal, but Miaoux Miaoux played a brilliant set to a small but ever growing crowd (Ian Brown was awful).

'Pixellated' stood out immediately, but in truth it was all good, with 'Knitted' and 'Snow' again saved for last and again receiving a great response. If a positive response is people coming up to buy cd's at the end - then Miaoux Miaoux received one. The mix of electronica and pop leaving people with smiles on their faces.

After bidding Julian, Ben and Anneleise goodbye (they were heading back to Glasgow), Lynn and I managed to catch the end of Ian Brown's set with Murray and Diane - we wished we hadn't bothered.

As someone who is a huge Stone Roses fan it saddens me to hear Ian Brown live. His voice has got progressively worse over the years to the extent where many people simply turned and walked away towards Aphex Twin or Miaoux Miaoux.

When asked to support The Rolling Stones in 1990, Ian Brown said 'it's a shame they don't have any friends honest enough to tell them to give it up.' Although Brown has produced moments of genuine quality in his solo career, someone close to him needs to mention that singing lessons might be a good idea, otherwise even the most loyal follower (and Brown has many) will start to desert his live gigs.

Saturday night ended on a high note with an absolutely outstanding performance by Leftfield. The bass rumbled, the beats were crystal clear, the musicians were tight and the guest vocals were euphoric. 'Original' came in early on but the real highlight was 'Rythm and Stealth' with the singer really working the crowd before and after.

'Leftism' is an album I will be digging out again this week, from the response of the crowd it is an album that holds a special place in the hearts of many.

Sunday 13th June

We made it for breakfast and met a very hungover Leeanne. Craig was enthusing about Leftfield from the night before and I am still pretty blown away by the performance. Eager to get rid of our hangovers, Lynn and I walked into town after a full Scottish breakfast and I bought some Wellies as it was a little damp after some decent weather to date - the odd burst of pure sunshine - but dry throughout.

After a power nap we were back on the road to Rock Ness and arrived at the Strongbow Tent for 2.30pm to watch Admiral Fallow a band I had thoroughly enjoyed watching at the Buff Club in Glasgow a couple of weeks before. The rain probably meant that they got a bigger crowd than expected and to be honest Rock Ness wasn't the right setting for their style of music, something that lead singer Louis Abbot freely admitted on stage. Still they played well and got a good response to songs like 'Subbuteo'.

We then headed for a wander and the sun came out for a bit before we headed back to the Strongbow Tent to watch Vendor Defender. I know the band and their manager and I knew this was a big moment for them, particularly as the band had been through an emotional time lately.

So it was great to see such a large crowd gather for them (again the rain may have helped but they genuinely had a lot of people there who knew the words to some songs) and they tore through the first song 'Passing Time'. Drummer Fraser and bass player Suse locked into grooves and Zak sang his heart out, ending with a glorious 'Golden Shivers'.

Sunday was the day with the best line-up (at least for our musical tastes) and the rest of the day was pretty much spent at the main stage watching the excellent line-up of Blondie, Doves, Vampire Weekend and The Strokes. Impressive by any festivals standards.

Blondie kicked things off to an expectant crowd. Debbie Harry strode on to a huge cheer in a peroxide wig. The band disappointed a little by playing a new song/old song set. So although they could have played more hits, the likes of 'Atomic' and 'Heart of Glass' generated an amazing response. They probably drew the biggest crowd of the weekend. 

Doves reminded me what a great band they are and I vowed to dig out my old cd's and vinyl on my return home. Jim Goodwin's melancholic vocals and the bands ability to lift songs to higher places meant that 'Catch The Sun', 'Pounding', 'Kingdom of Rust', 'Black & White Town' and a euphoric 'There Goes The Fear' suited the time of day and crowd perfectly. A brilliant band, Doves back catalogue must stand up against the best of them. 

I enjoyed catching Vampire Weekend a couple of years ago at the Barrowlands and they didn't disappoint at Rock Ness. Their warm humour and energy meant an instant rapport with the crowd. Mixing songs from both album, their clever melodies and lyrics, full of hooks and memorable riffs, went down well with the crowd.

The Strokes took to the stage just before dark and tore into 'Take It Or Leave It', with the vast majority of the crowd choosing to take it. They ripped through songs from their debut album, throwing in a few from the second for good measure. 'Last Night' may well have got the biggest cheer of the weekend. 

Phew - I'm shattered. Great weekend in a stunning location, lots of good bands and dj's, a very friendly atmosphere and a very up for it crowd.

Some photos may follow when I have the time and energy!

Teenage Fanclub, ABC Glasgow, 2nd June 2010

Ah a sunny night in Glasgow, soundtracked by the sweet harmonies, chiming guitars and the stunning melodies that only Teenage Fanclub can create.


The night started with a pint in the State Bar where I met Lynn, Ian and Lorna before heading along Sauchiehall Street to Nanakusa for some lovely Asian cuisine. We then popped into the Variety Bar for a beer on the way to the ABC only to find Teenage Fanclub keyboard player and slide guitar wizard Dave McGowan at the bar. So at least we knew we wouldn't miss the band!


We did leave shortly after Dave and got the venue for 8.15pm. The hall filled up quickly and before you knew it, just as Ian and I were being served our second beers, the band came on and launched into old fave 'Start Again'.


There were smiles all round and after a Norman song we immediately had a Gerry song, the opener off the new album 'Sometimes I Don't Need To Believe In Anything' before Raymond played 'The Fall'. Gerry's song in particular had a lovely laid back feel to it that suited the summer night.


The Fanclub looked relaxed and Norman joked when he couldn't tune his guitar, eventually giving up and taking another one. The crowd laughed with him, the Fanclub create that kind of vibe. 'It's All In My Mind' was next, it's driving rhythm bringing cheers before Gerry topped that with the classic 'Don't Look Back' off the Grand Prix album.


'Baby Lee' is the first single off of Shadows and it must have received more radio play than any Fanclub single in quite some time. Having seen Norman play solo around Glasgow on a few occasions over the last 18-months, this was a song he played time and time again - he is obviously proud of it and rightly so. The chiming guitars are the Fanclub at their best and from the lyrics (for this and all Norman's songs on the album) he is clearly very much in love.


I'm enchanted, I've fallen under your spell,
How can I resist when you cast them so well,


Baby Lee I'm always trying to remind you,
They had me in mind oh yeah when they designed you,
And baby Lee I'm always watching from a distance,
Oh marry marry me oh baby now I am insisting


Raymond was up next with one of his best, 'Can't Feel My Soul' off of Songs From Northern Britain. I can't remember the Fanclub playing this one live before and it was a real treat. Raymond's guitar playing throughout the gig was impeccable and it was particularly good during this tune.


The next run of songs was a real treat as the Fanclub rolled out long loved tunes alongside more tracks off the new album. Everyone sang along to 'I Don't Want Control Of You' with grins like cheshire cats, Norman brought out his glockenspiel for 'Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From' (Raymond's 'Something') and 'Ain't That Enough' was the perfect song for a sunny summery day in Glasgow.


'Sweet Days Waiting' off the new album is one of my current favourites with a lovely instrumental outro, with Dave McGowan highlighting his skills on the pedal steel guitar.


'The Concept' still sounds fresh and new song 'When I Still Have Thee' is surely destined to be a fan fave for many years to come. Another love song from Norman with an infectious melody - that won't be the first or last time anyone has said that!


'Sparky's Dream' promoted some pogo-ing before a great encore containing 'I Need Direction' - prompting ba-ba-ba-ba's from the crowd and a ferocious 'Everything Flows'. I think it must be 20-years since the Fanclub released their debut single yet they still attach it with a youthful joy that brings something new to it every time they play it.


There was just enough time for a surprise second encore of 'Starsign'.


A great night. It is 17-years since I first caught the Fanclub and I feel lucky to have a band that have soundtracked those years and will soundtrack many more years to come. 

Pooch and Spectrum, Saturday 29th May 2010

After a great night out watching Admiral Fallow on Friday night I was off out again on Saturday night with Lynn to watch Pooch in action at the pre-club band night run by Spectrum at McChuills.

McChuills was already pretty busy when we arrived around 8.30pm and the night got off to a nice started when Steph (one of the 3 brothers that run Spectrum) got on stage to introduce an Aussie he had met in London who is travelling with the ambition to play an acoustic set in every city he visits. As someone who has been travelling, this is something I appreciate and the guy was delighted to be playing to a good sized crowd.

The DJ played a load of great tunes that I have in my own collection; 'I Believe When I Fall In Love (With You It Will Be Forever)' by Stevie Wonder, 'Sweet Harmony' by The Beloved and 'Drunk Girls' by LCD Soundsystem.

Very sadly, Vendor Defender had to pull out of the gig after the singer received some terrible news. My thoughts go out to Zak who is a lovely guy.

So on to Pooch. I last caught Pooch in Maggie's Glasgow when they played a brilliant stripped back set. Tonight was full on electro for a crowd itching to get to Blackfriars to start dancing.

Pooch didn't disappoint. Lead singer Laura Boyd was dressed to kill in a vintage dress, stillettos and with Bowie-esque face paint. They ripped through a 30-minute set full of energy and style. The beats provided by the equally glamorous drummer Kirstin kept the pace up as Boyd played to the crowd, edging ever closer to the front of the stage until she was almost part of the audience.

I'm not fully aware of the titles of the Pooch songs and as the night was young, I don't think I would have remembered them anyway! However 'Masquerade' and 'Lights' are tunes that I know and they went down well with the crowd.

This was a match made in heaven, a party band for a party crowd and Pooch didn't disappoint. Boyd was clearly the star of the show, posing and pouting her way through the set, demanding the attention and affection of the crowd. Judging by the cheers for more at the end, she got it. But full marks to Pooch for finishing with no encore and leaving the crowd wanting more. Something more bands should do.

This was my first time catching Pooch in full on electro mode in quite some time and I will certainly be going to catch them again. I wouldn't be surprised if the Spectrum crowd have them back in the future.

The club itself had a real party atmosphere with the highlight being when the DJ teased in 'Song 2' by Blur for a quite euphoric reaction. A good night all in all. Just about recovered!

Admiral Fallow @ The Buff Club, Glasgow, 28th May 2010

On Friday night I headed along to The Buff Club in Glasgow for an event titled Dusk Til Dawn in aid of Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres. The night was organised by Ken Love and his brother under the banner Together Beat Cancer. Ken's family have been touched by cancer and this is the third musical event they have organised to raise funds for cancer charities. With real enthusiasm and passion, they are doing a great job.

I entered The Buff Club around 5.30pm and this was the first time I had ever been in sober! It seemed a lot bigger, it is usually rammed to the extent that there is no room to dance.

Radio Magnetic dj's played downstairs to greet people coming in, while the bands were playing upstairs. The venue looked fantastic set up for bands and I hope that they do it more often, I notice that the Detour podcast team have booked it out for June.

I didn't catch much of the first band so I'll skip quickly on to Scottish hip-hop artist Loki. Loki took to the stage (floor space) with his b-boy to back him up. I was trying hard not to laugh when he started, my first impression was that he was a total ned (and I might not be wrong). He had brought along some friends (his posse) who all looked like they dressed straight from the hip hop shop under the bridge at Central Station.

Despite my initial reaction I warmed to Loki. It took him a song or two to warm up but once he did he stopped the beats, sent his b-boy packing and told a tale about a night out in Edinburgh acapella. It was funny, entertaining and observant. It drew a great response from the crowd and Loki took great encouragement from it. A different b-boy took to the stage to join him (not as good as the first guy) but the remaining few songs saw the crowd getting into it and Loki introducing a song 'A West End State Of Mind' about drinking Bucki and getting high in the West End of Glasgow.

The line-up for the night was eclectic and next up was Louise McVey & The Cracks In The Concrete. Louise looked stunning in a vintage dress. The band play a leftfield mix of music that immediately had me thinking about the likes of Jefferson Airplance. Her backing band are tight and she can certainly sing. 'Ode' from her current EP was a highlight, although I didn't catch all of the set as I went downstairs to give Ken's brother a break from merchandise duty as he wanted to catch a bit of their set.

On to the headliner, Admiral Fallow (formerly Brother Louise Collective). I have to admit I am quite sceptical about bands that change names but keep the same songs. However it does appear to have given Admiral Fallow a new lease of life and lets be honest, it is a better name!

With an album under their belts confidence is clearly high within the band and that transferred on to the stage at the Buff Club and the audience was treated to an outstanding performance. I had caught Admiral Fallow in their previous guise at Tuts back in December and although it was clear they had talent, the sound on the night didn't do them any favours.

The sound engineer on Friday night did a great job. With a flutist and clarinet player (when he isn't playing keyboards) in their line-up, the band created some wonderful soundscapes. Lead singer/songwriter Louis' lyrics are pretty autobographical and they are certainly very descriptive.

Opener 'Dead Against Smoking' (I think this is what they opened with, but excuse me if I have the order wrong) was quite apt for a cancer benefit gig. 'You smoke when you're hurt, or when you're bored, or other things but I don't mind. Who cares if the big C comes when we're having some lovely times?'

The song flows beautifully and the chorus 'You're like a gasoline, you're like a willow tree, you're like a split screen, you're the green in me' lifts the song at the right times.

'Subbuteo' brought the tone down but maintained the interest of the crowd before 'These Barren Years' took things higher with flowing melodies from the gorgeous Sarah on the flute and Kevin on the clarinet.

The set was one of the best I have seen/heard in Glasgow for a long time and was full of highlights. 'Squealing Pigs' started off quietly before a good old Celtic beat kicked in and stopped the talking at the bar, Louis' singing was complimented by the gentle tones of Sarah Hayes.

The album 'Boots Met My Face' is available now on itunes and check the bands myspace.

A special mention must also go to Jim Gellatly for hosting the night. Well done to Ken for all his hard work.

The Charlatans at Glasgow Barrowlands 14th May 2010

Last night The Charlatans celebrated the 20th anniversary of the release of their debut album Some Friendly with a gig at Glasgow Barrowlands, a venue that they hold close to their hearts.

The night started in one of my favourite bars in Glasgow - McChuills in High Street, where I met my brother and friend Craig. A few weeks previously I had sent Tim Burgess a message asking if he would make a playlist for McChuills, knowing that a lot of Charlatans fans would be going there beforehand.

A cd arrived courtesy of Tim's friend Nick who is also friends with Craig and Dale also showed up, The cd contained tracks from 20-years ago, Loaded by Primal Scream, Groove Is In The Heart by Deelite, Ride On Time by Blackbox and many more besides. A few pints were enjoyed in good company before we headed off to the Barrowlands, meeting Lynn outside, to catch The Ray Summers as support, who Craig just happens to manage.

The band were on at 8pm sharp and played a punchy 25-minute set, high on energy and enthusiasm. The crowd began to fill up after a couple of songs with many taking the time to come down the front to check The Summers out. The third song in was The Valley that immediately caught my attention and must surely feature on a forthcoming release at some point soon. 

It says a lot for The Ray Summers growing confidence that they looked at home on stage at the Barrowlands. They are extremely tight and their ability to twist and turn songs completely around halfway through is pretty unique.

It was then on to the build up to The Charlatans, with the same cd being played that was played in McChuills earlier. The band were in no mood to hang around and took to the stage shortly after 9pm, just after my sister arrived to ensure an Easton family outing!

It may be 20-years since the release of Some Friendly, but Tim Burgess really hasn't aged much at all. He was wearing a 1990-esque style baggy t-shirt and his hairstyle may have changed numerous times over the years, but his cheeky grin and warm enthusiasm remain the same.

You're Not Very Well opened proceedings, a sold out Barrowlands getting into the mood easily and quickly. Next up was a special moment for me as the band went into the pop groove of White Shirt, one of my favourite Charlatans songs, yet one I had never seen them play live before in my 16-years of attending their gigs - 26 by my reckoning!

It's a brilliant song and Tony's hammond riff blasted out effortlessly, Time shimmied like it was 1990 and the band locked into a groove, it was all over too soon.

I was expecting the band to play Some Friendly in order, go off and come back on and do some hits, but The Charlatans are always a band full of surprises. As if to highlight how prolific and consistent they have been through the years and certainly around the period of Some Friendly the band raced through non-album singles, b-sides and EP's alongside album tracks. Playing for a full 90-minutes before going off and returning for an encore.

The highlights were many, with the band looking like they were really enjoying revisiting some songs that they can't have actually played for 20-years or so. Me In Time, Over Rising and Happen To Die stood out, yet it wasn't surprising to see the venue going crazy for Then and The Only One I Know.

In between bouncing about like a loony during the latter I turned around to see the hall lit up and the bouncing and dancing was taking place from front to back. It's a true classic and the chorus 'everyones been burned before, everybody knows the pain' was sung heartily and the band enjoyed a tremendous ovation afterwards.

Flower from the album was another real highlight, slowing the pace down 'don't bring me flower to my bed, she got what she deserved'. Tim was in great form, playing to the crowd, the rhythm section of Martin and Jon were as tight as brothers, Tony was revelling in the hammond orientated material and Mark on guitar was creating soundscapes with his effects.

Can't Even Be Bothered was the only non Some Friendly era track played the entire night, I imagine it must have been written around then. It's slow groove kept everyone dancing, in fact groove is a word you could apply to the vast majority of Charlatans tracks from this (or indeed any other) era. It was a time when people lost their inhibitions and danced.

Sproston Green rounded things off in true style, with the famous sprung dancefloor in the Barrowlands taking a hammering.

Walking towards the train home  my brother and I talked about the consistency of The Charlatans material. To play for so long from one period, with so many good tracks takes some doing. In truth, the band could do this with pretty much any period from their career. A band with a special place in my heart.

RBRBR, Tokyo Knife Attack and Miaoux Miaoux at Captain's Rest

Heavylight Darkbright at Captain's Rest, Glasgow


Featuring - RBRBR, Tokyo Knife Attack and Miaoux Miaoux 

On Saturday night I ventured to Captain's Rest on Great Western Road for the Heavylight Darkbright night. On the bill for a fiver were RBRBR, Tokyo Knife Attack and Miaoux Miaoux.

After being best man at my mate Elliott's wedding on the Friday I opted to drive to the gig, allowing Lynn to have a few pints. It is maybe a sign of age, but I don't mind driving to gigs so much these days. I'm quite happy to get lost in the music.

Heavylight Darkbright is a regular night run by the same guys that put on the excellent Pinup Nights at the Flying Duck. HLDB is a little more low key, left of centre, allowing them to pick the best local acts and also stick on upcoming bands and artists from around the UK. Mercury Prize nominated The Invisible are among the recent guests.

Captain's Rest has established itself as an excellent addition to the live music circuit in Glasgow over the last few years. The upstairs bar provides good music, food, beer and big screens for sport, while downstairs in the basement, the soundsystem and engineers work wonders in such a small space.

First on was Miaoux Miaoux who I had the pleasure of watching for the first time in mid-March. As he began his first tune there was only a handful of people in the room, but the waves of electronica sent people scurrying down the steps, so that there was soon a crowd of 30-40. Miaoux Miaoux (AKA Julian Corrie) transfixed the crowds with his ability to layer melodies, beats and harmonies with his guitar, sampler, synth and some other electro toy.

Halfway through he introduced a new song that he had finished writing the lyrics for that very afternoon and he had to read a couple of the verses off of a sheet of paper. The song was one of many highlights, its beat, feeling and melody seemed more suited to watching the sunset in Ibiza than a basement in Glasgow. All three tracks off the 'Blooms' EP went down well. The shift in music in 'Pixellated' enhanced by Julian's backing vocals was a real standout alongside 'Snow'. I would recommend checking Miaoux Miaoux out.

Next up was another one man band/act going by the name of Tokyo Knife Attack. He surrounded himself with a bank of electrical equipment and proceeded to play a 30-minute set of 80's influenced electro pop. The music was actually pretty good, although I would say that Tokyo Knife Attack is more Chris Lowe than Neil Tenant. He seemed very shy, barely speaking to the crowd, although his confidence did lift the longer the gig went on. He obviously has an ear for a tune, my personal suggestion would be to get a voclaist(s) in to help lift the songs.

Headlining tonight were RBRBR. I have seen them a couple of times before and I had previously been more impressed with one of their dancers who wore a jumpsuit and fighter pilot helmet and shades. He was back tonight, complete with a drummer in a horses head and their dancing ninja, as well as the two frontmen. For me, their two best songs were book ends for the set. 'Maff' - with a repetive hook of 'do the math, do the math, do the math' and 'Masicks Blues' at the end which threatened to veer off into a euphoric electro/techno track at times but didn't quite get there.

The two dancers generated a lot of energy on the stage, but it didn't quite transform to the crowd and for me it didn't hide the fact that a lot of their songs sound incredibly similar. The guy in the jumpsuit looked cool and danced his heart out, but he didn't really do anything else. He had an Apple Mac in front of him, but I don't know what purpose that served. The ninja certainly lost the dancing contest and is definitely no Bez. 

The two frontmen were pretty charming, smiling throughout and obviously enjoying the set. Some more inventive basslines, further use of guitar and synths might transform the band. Despite my criticism I bought their EP at the end of the night, keen to hear what they sound like on record. If I'm honest, they sound better live.

So it was a rather mixed bag of a night but well worth it. 

LCD Soundsystem @ Glasgow Barrowlands, 29th April 2010

This was a gig to savour.

The night started in one of my favourite Glasgow bars - McChuills on High Street. I don't go in nearly as often as I used to but some things never change and that is a good thing. Martin from Figure 5 working behind the bar, old Ted wandering around, good music, Barca v Inter on the TV and a nice couple of pints.

As the second half was kicking off we wandered around to the Barrowlands. Why bands play the soul-less O2 Academy over the Barras I will never know. The Barras combined with an up for it Glasgow crowd make an unrivalled combination.

We'd just got a beer from the can stall (Carlsberg unfortunately) and went down stage right when the lights dimmed and the band walked on stage shortly after 9pm.

The band launched into the funk disco groove of 'Get Innocuous' with James Murphy's cowbells taking an early battering. The line-up consisted of Murphy on vocals (with a nice 1920'2/30's style mic), bass, guitar, drums and keys/synths. With occasional assistance for Murphy on percussion.

Murphy then warmed the Barrowlands audience by saying 'tonight and tomorrows show is dedicated to Optimo' the legendary club night that has just finished at the equally legendary SubClub.

'Us v Them' was next up and the band turned things up a notch. Dry ice filled the stage and there was minimal lighting, the sole light bouncing off the classic Barras disco ball, creating just the right 'warehouse party' vibe. The groove developed into something quite special with Murphy calling out the repetitive 'Us....and them' vocal line as if he was making a political statement.

A fast version of 'Daft Punk Is Playing At My House' followed before 'Yr City's A Sucker' went back into classic LCD disco funk groove territory. Two new songs followed including current single 'Drunk Girls' that sees the band come across like a 60's garage band.

Next up was a real highlight and one of my favourite songs from recent years 'All My Friends'. The crowd responded to this excellent song that dips, flows and soars with an infectious guitar line, and when Murphy sang 'if i could see all my friends tonight, if I could see all my friends tonight' he was quite literally singing to the crowd.

Another new song 'I Can Change' highlighted Murphy's talent for melody and harmony and there was almost a Beach Boys type vibe at times to the song. 'Tribulations' and 'Movement' followed before a ferocious 'Yeah' enveloped the crowd with it's funky groove. Growing and flowing with the crowd bouncing along. This was an epic and we were watching and listening to something truly special.

The cheer and applause afterwards rang out heartily and it wasn't long before the band came back on, Murphy coming on a couple of minutes after them to take the deserved acclaim. 'Someone Great' got the band and crowd quickly back into the swing of things before the outstanding 'Losing My Edge' sent the crowd wild.

Murphy looked visibly moved and said that 'this is the best venue in the world and we'll always play here when we come to Glasgow. It's the right size for a party and if we have to play 3 or 4 nights we will.'

'All I Want' brought the crowd down gently before a gorgeous 'New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down' showed that Murphy could right ballads for Sinatra.

A truly special gig.

Set list at http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/lcd-soundsystem/2010/the-barrowland-ballroom-glasgow-scotland-4bd4ef1a.html