May 19th 2018 – a date to remember
So apparently today is some sort of big day. Something involving a ginger (small g) bloke and a (bad) actress celebrating a good feeling? Oh, and a number of games involving 22 blokes kicking a spherical object around for 90 minutes to try to win some silver things.
All that pales into insignificance, none of it really matters as the main event is happening in the O2 Academy. There is some premier 90’s rock to be had for the discerning Glaswegian punter. Anticipation has been building for this event for some time. The great and the good will be in attendance for this not to be missed event, only the select few will get this opportunity. It is an event that has been in the planning for some time and all the hard work is coming to fruition. Unlike the events elsewhere all the key players will be in attendance, including a not to be missed performance from a classic line-up.
Unfortunately, due to one of my co-gig attendees being at one of the days sporting events, we missed Dodgy. Hopefully not too many punters were picking up on the bands lead and Staying out for the Summer longer to enjoy one of the few sunny days we Glaswegians experience in a year.
Terrorvision
This early gig going is becoming a habit after last Sundays 5pm start. This week was no different and tonight’s second band was hitting the stage at 6.30pm precisely. The timings all night were impeccable with every band hitting and leaving the stage bang on time.
This is a rotating headline tour and tonight it was the turn of Bradford’s Terrorvision to get the party going. The dictionary definition of Terrorvision is “the quality of being full of energy, excitement, and cheerfulness; ebullience” OK, it isn’t really, that’s the definition of exuberance, but it really should be for them fits them perfectly.
I don’t remember how many times I’ve seen the band live, but they never disappoint. As they took to the stage, I admired their sartorial elegance. Tony resplendent in plum shiny blazer, white shirt, skinny tie and braces. In fact white was order of the day. Much more than you would see at a normal rock gig. It reminded me of seeing them at Milton Keynes bowl on a bill that was headlined by the earnest Metallica supported by Marilyn Manson and Placebo among others. They bounced onstage resplendent in white suits on that day and won over the entire crowd. The whole place was jumping within 2 songs after a bit of reticence from the people around me at the start of their set.
I’m a Discotheque Wreck!
Anyway, back to tonight. They had me from their very first intro – Discotheque Wreck is possibly my favourite Terrorvision track, alongside Josephine, which also made an appearance. Terrorvision made full use of their hour long set banging out tune after stonking tune. They have an extensive back catalogue which allowed them to entertain the crowd without playing their biggest hit, Tequila.
The band were in top form and Tony didn’t stop for breath, bouncing in his own inimitable style for the whole hour, no wonder there isn’t a pick on him. If watching this band live doesn’t bring a smile to your face, you have no soul.
The hits kept coming – Middleman, My House, Perseverance, Pretend Best Friend with a roof raising singalong of Oblivion along with the traditional synchronised arm waving closing their set.
What a set and what a start to the evening’s entertainment (sorry Dodgy) but for me the best was yet to come. Yes, it got even better later on!
Reef
Next up it was the turn of south coast surf-rockers Reef to entertain the capacity crowd.
I am a member of a Facebook group for Wildhearts fans and in the preceding weeks there had been a lot of barbed comments aimed at Reef. Some defended their comments as a poor attempt at humour, but it became ridiculous. What part of revolving headline tour did some of these morons not get?
Anyway, tonight Reef were the penultimate act. If there were any Reef doubters from the group they were either silenced or had their minds changed as the reception for the band was exceptional.
Reef’s main man Gary Stringer and bass player Jack Bessant obviously attend the same barber, i.e. they don’t. In any given day Bessant to could pass for Jesus, Gandalf the Grey or Tom Hanks after he’d been Castaway for several months. Not a lot could carry it off, but he manages. And he plays a mean bass too.
Revelation
Reef recently released a new album which I had the pleasure of reviewing for Louder Than War magazine. I gave it 9/10 and was looking forward to hearing some of the songs tonight.
Much like Terrorvision, Reef opened with one of my favourite songs by the band, early single Naked. With the lyrics including the line “I’ll blow you away” they laid out their stall and stated their intent.
They pretty much followed up on their promise. With a set borrowing from their entire catalogue, the new songs sat perfectly alongside the likes of Come Back Brighter and set closer Yer Old. In fact new songs Revelation (the new album title track) and Precious Metal were two of the highlights of the set for me. The bands mix of bluesy rock, mixed with country and gospel is a great sound. They are a slightly different proposition than the other 2 bands but went down a storm. As did their cover of The Faces classic Stay with Me
Whoever was controlling the timings was on top of their game. Gary was consulted mid-set to keep the band on track. I was also glad Gary was there to remind us we were in Glasgow (several times). I also had a wry smile on my face as the venue lit up with mobile phones when they played their massive anthem Place Your Hands.
The only issue I had during Reef’s set was the sound quality. On occasion, Stringers voice was low in the mix but was fixed quickly so didn’t impact the enjoyment of the band.
Yer Old is another of my favourite Reef tracks and the band played a bombastic version of this song to close the set.
The Return of THE Wildhearts
I had butterflies waiting for Newcastle’s finest export (yes, better than broon ale) to take the stage.
In recent years I’ve seen The Wildhearts in various forms, as well as Danny’s latest band The Main Grains but tonight was to be special. The classic line up of Ginger, CJ, Danny and Rich were about to take the stage.
The band is back together.
The band members have gone through, and continue to go through the mill, with health problems both mental and physical.
I recently interviewed Ginger about his mental health on the back of solo album Ghost in the Tanglewood, CJ has also recently revealed his battles with mental health. Danny has had demons to battle over the years and it was good to see him walk on-stage as he continues to get used to his prosthetic leg. He stood up to play the bands opening track before Dunc brought him a stool so he was comfortable for the rest of the gig.
Earlier in the day Ginger had responded to tweets by saying:
I am so grateful to be spending this weekend with my brothers (& sister) in @TheWildhearts band and crew.
I am grateful that my brother @frankturner is hanging with us today.
I am grateful that we are playing Glasgow, the loudest crowd in Britain.
I really need this.
— Ginger Wildheart (@GingerWildheart) May 19, 2018
&
I need this show like oxygen https://t.co/1tuACFRHFu
— Ginger Wildheart (@GingerWildheart) May 19, 2018
It seems like this is the perfect gig to go to at the end of Mental Health Awareness week. We needed it too Ginger, so much. Oh, and that little hint – you are teasing us Mr Wildheart…
And so to the music.
All the Classics
Ginger as per usual looked effortlessly cool as the band took to the stage and launched into a ball-breaking Sick of Drugs. An epic start to a set that just oozed perfection.
The band were tight. It was like they’d never been apart. Powerful riffs a-plenty, massive tunes, lyrics of genius, a rhythm section keeping everything in check, harmonies as sweet as honey.
Confession time. When a friend first introduced me to The Wildhearts back in the days of Earth Vs.. I didn’t like them. I know. What was I thinking? Don’t worry though I am a different person now. Wildhearts are one of my favourite bands and Earth Vs… one of my favourite albums.
Bearing that in mind and considering the current band line up, I knew I would be in for a treat. It was so much more than expected. The band had a 75 minute set as headliners and they were intent on making the most of it. Ginger announced there would be no encore as they were going to just play as many songs as they could
They did that, and some.
Opener Sick of Drugs was followed without a chance to catch breath by TV Tan, My Baby is a Headfuck and one of my personal favourites a stunningly muscular Suckerpunch. Oh boy. If this was the start…
And they kept coming thick and fast. Vanilla Radio, a 1000mph high-octane breathless race through another of my favourites, Caffeine Bomb (“if you saw this on TOTP you’re as old as we are”).
The crowd were lapping up every song, singing and bouncing along in unison. The band were back together…in their rightful place, doing what they do, and doing it with aplomb. This gig will live long in the memory.
Could it get better? Could it ever!
Wildhearts classics just kept coming – Nothing Ever Changes, Red Light, Green Light (“this goes out to any Celtic fans or people who fancy Meghan Markle” – damn I’d managed to avoid it all up ‘til then!), Everlone, Nita Nitro…you are spoiling us Mr Wildheart & Co.
At the Weekend
The band started playing “Sunshine on Leith”, another inadvertent attempt at alienating half the Glasgow crowd, ha ha, which segued flawlessly into The Weekend (5 long days), a particularly appropriate song for a Saturday night, and especially after the long week just passed.
“But at the weekend, well everything will be okay
At the weekend, darling
At the weekend, I’ll tell the world that for five long days I’ve been wanting to say
Wanting to say, yeah, yeah”
The passionate sing-a-long of Geordie in Wonderland was next, followed by a rambunctious Love U ‘til I Don’t. Right now I have the biggest grin on my face. About to get bigger.
Introducing…
Ginger pulled the next surprise out of his sleeve – remember that tweet from earlier? Well Frank Turner wasn’t just hanging with the band. Ginger introduced him to the stage to a roar of approval.
Turner himself was like an excited schoolboy on the eve of his birthday. He was fanboy-ing all over the place. A huge fan of the band since he was young, he was obviously stoked beyond belief to be appearing onstage with his friends and visibly his musical heroes.
With Turner sharing vocal duties with Ginger (and venturing into the crowd for a bit of surfing), the band ripped through tremendous renditions of Greetings from Shitsville, 29 x the Pain and set closer I Wanna Go Where the People Go, before Ginger, CJ, Danny and Rich took to stage front to lap up the adulation. Emotional, or what?
Tonight will be hard to beat for the sheer passion of it, the quality of the sets, enthusiasm of the crowd and general awesomeness of the whole night.
I left with a smile on my face, and a tear in my eye. Happy tears though
Ginger tweeted again after the gig
Thank you Glasgow, tonight was exactly what I needed. https://t.co/vcfnDLPTjl
— Ginger Wildheart (@GingerWildheart) May 19, 2018
Thank you Wildhearts (et al), that was exactly what I needed too.
