Another West End evening
Sunday night and I found myself Kelvingrove bound for the second time in a week.
Having experienced a couple of days that hadn’t quite gone to plan up until then, I was hoping for a positive end to the weekend. Great company was a good omen for starters, and despite the Glasgow summer being as unpredictable as the next gig announcement in a year of pleasant surprises so far, it looked like the rain would hold off.
Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble was playing an acoustic support set as we stood shooting the breeze while waiting outside for a ticket to arrive. Pleasant enough without setting the world on fire, he was finishing his set as we walked into a disappointingly empty looking bandstand.
It had been a similar sight on Thursday, having said that it hadn’t spoiled the night, though you do wonder what the issue is with ticket sales? Both nights had some great draws, but still the crowds were disappointingly sparse. Was it pricing, lack of promotion? Was it apathy, too many gigs to choose from? As I write this, I note that The Skids have just announced a gig in the same night in December as Goodbye Mr. MacKenzie, a theme I have seen several times with gigs that would draw the same audiences clashing. I’m delighted that as one of my co-attendees tonight also observed, 2019 has seen a purple patch in gig announcements keeping punters like he and I satiated, but I can’t help but think promoters and bands could be more joined up and attract sell-out crowds playing together rather than separately to semi-filled venues. But who am I to comment, there are two phenomenal bands on the bill tonight and the maybe the crowd was small. But perfectly formed…
Therapy?
Settling down for the evening we picked a spot close to the stage awaiting some Therapy? And boy did we get some.
It had been a while since I’d last seen the band. In fact, it had been a Sunday night 26 years previously on a bill with Gallon Drunk and Silverfish. One at which I’d been exceedingly hungover. 26 years? It felt like yesterday. On a plus note, the events of the weekend had meant no night out last night, so no hangover.
One thing certainly hasn’t changed over the intervening years. Andy Cairns has lost none of his vigorous on-stage energy and banter. As the band took to the stage the assembled throng was still scant and those who were there displayed some reticence at displaying their enthusiasm. Not a problem to a man of Cairns ability. He soon had the audience filling the area immediately in front of the stage and eating out of the palm of his hand. Dancing, clapping, chanting and singing back to him. A couple of times his comments fell on deaf ears, but with a response of “what – nothing?” he dusted himself off and launched into the next thumping tune.
The band are a powerhouse, storming their way through a dozen plus enormous face-melting anthems including their unique reworking of Joy Division’s Isolation. The band were bouncing from the off, but the last half a dozen or so songs lifted the energy a couple of notches from Teethgrinder onwards. I’m sure the West Enders wouldn’t have expected their weekend ending to the strains of a mass chant of “James Joyce is Fucking My Sister” drifting into the West End air at the end of a rousing Potato Junkie. Nowhere and Knives kept everyone sharply on edge before a belting Screamager rounded things off. Could there have been more people there to enjoy it? Absolutely, but for now, screw that, forget about that, I don’t want to think about anything like that. Therapy? They were exactly that.
Levellers
Like Thursday night when the Wildhearts laid down a marker that the other two bands never quite rose too, Therapy? had set a challenge for Levellers. Unlike the bands that followed Wildhearts on Thursday, Levellers rose to the challenge and matched Therapy? in the passion and energy stakes. Like the Wildhearts, Levellers is a band that never disappoints live. Tonight was no exception. With such an impressively huge back catalogue, a fact which they took full advantage of tonight, they played a career spanning set, even throwing in a couple of classy new tunes for good measure. A thoroughly remarkable set displaying the burgeoning array of quality songs the band have amassed over their 31-year career to date.
I need to stop making references to the years that have passed since bands I have loved from the start have been entertaining me. After all, in my head I’m still 19. I’ll stick with The Zips thoughts on that subject rather than those of The Courteeners.
Anyway. The Levellers. Kicking off with a rampant Liberty Song, swiftly followed by the classic 15 Years, the band fashioned their unique blend of anarcho-folk punk into a storming set making their presence felt in a way only they can. One minute their set featuring bruising classic anthems allowing the assembled throng to burst their lungs singing along, the next affecting moments like the acoustic Julie, full of emotion but still allowing the crowd to have their singalong.
Special moments abounded throughout the set; the bands musicianship flawless throughout. Carry Me was exceptional, One Way brought back many memories (there I go again and Riverflow incited much raw emotion towards the end of the night.
Dirty Davey, Hope Street, World Freak Show, Too Real, Men-an-Tol I could go on and on…all wonderful songs with passionate live arrangements.
Extraordinary musicianship from all, thumping basslines, distinctive electric fiddle, guitars electric and acoustic, mandolin, keyboards and powerhouse drumming and of course didgeridoo from an unmissable The Joker-esque fully luminous painted Stephen Boakes all coming together to inspire and delight. Always a plus, the band looked as if they were enjoying themselves too, the light night giving them the ability to connect with members of the audience who obviously had a long-term affiliation and affinity with the band.
Despite the darkening sky overhead, the weather was much like a Glasgow ned, the threat was all postulation never amounting to much, it was a Beautiful Day in a beautiful venue. Those who had made the effort to come out to end their weekend in the company of these two remarkable bands went home happy, I’m sure with a bounce in their step heading to work on Monday morning the memory of the gig still fresh in their minds.