Category: Gigs in Glasgow

Water Machine Single Launch – with comfort and Count Florida

March 16, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

It’s been a long time since I last saw Water Machine, with, pardon the pun, a lot of water passing under the bridge in everyone’s lives in the interim. It’s been all going the last couple of weeks though, with Water Machine playing a gig recently in Stereo, releasing a highly danceable new jangle-pop indie single Tiffany and announcing their debut album release (and accompanying gig) in June. Having unfortunately missed the Stereo gig due to a clash, tonight’s single launch gig was one not to be missed.

Before I got to witness the Water Machine live spectacle again, it was down to Count Florida to open proceedings followed by a band I’ve been excited to see for some time but the stars had not aligned up until now, comfort, whose 2023 album What’s Bad Enough was a triumph.… Read the rest

The Wildhearts – Glasgow Garage – The Satanic Rites Tour

March 15, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

All photographs courtesy of Chris Hogge Photography.


My gig going has been somewhat curtailed recently, with tickets going to waste for several events due to, what’s that diplomatic phrase again…circumstances beyond my control… let’s leave it at that. I suppose there is a certain irony in that. Life has been really stressful recently and one of the things that relieves the stresses of life is the first thing that seemed to  fall through the cracks. 

I’m not gonna lie, but for several reasons, I hasten to add, none of them to do with music, gigs or The Wildhearts, I wasn’t particularly relishing going out after an infernally early start, a long day and a drive home that also meant missing both of the nights support bands. … Read the rest

The Countess of Fife – Betwixt and Between – EP Review

March 8, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

I was fortunate to get the opportunity to spend some time in the company of Scottish music icon Fay Fife towards the end of last year and have the pleasure of an in-depth chat about her Countess of Fife project. Our catch up coincided with her reaching the Kickstarter campaign target for her second album, A Woman of Certain Wisdom, in the guise of The Countess of Fife, following the runaway success of her first album Star of the Sea, which had also just seen its second pressing.

You can read the whole interview here

When we spoke, Fay alluded to an EP that would be released ahead of A Woman Of Certain Wisdom later this year, featuring early versions of songs she had recorded for the new album.… Read the rest

Three ‘n’ Eights – Leopard Print Hearts – album review

March 6, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

I believe I once commented in a live review something along the lines of Three ‘n’ Eights being the ultimate party starters, a band that will have your foot tapping from the very first note, but more importantly by the end of their set you’ll no longer be in control of yer dancin’ feet.

I mean, part of that might be the levels of drink imbibed on occasion, but all joking aside, I challenge even the soberest of souls not to find their feet moving of their own accord, and unconscious smiles breaking out across the most miserable of faces while listening to the fourteen slices of rabble rousing anthems from this gallus group who never fail to bring the shenanigans to the shindig.… Read the rest

Jenny Don’t & The Spurs & Wild Devils – live in The Rum Shack

February 13, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

A rare midweek opportunity for a night of Rockabilly and hard-rockin’ Honky-Tonk Cowpunk in one of my favourite local venues, how could I resist? The Rum Shack is garnering a strong reputation as a much sought after venue for live music, a great size, with great sight lines and sound, and when you add to that a band who are quite obviously in their prime, basking in the success of their superb latest record Broken Hearted Blue and clearly enjoying their performance you’ve got a perfect recipe to counter that mid week slump, injecting a bit of joy back into that gloomy feeling… last weekend was a distant memory and this weekend still seems a lifetime away… On this dreich and cold February Wednesday night, Jenny & Co.… Read the rest

f.o. machete – Mother of a Thousand – Album Review

February 12, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

After an extended hiatus of a dozen or so years, the mighty machete returned to the fray in style around this time last year with a live show supporting another legendary Scottish band who had also returned after too long out of the limelight. That show in Room 2 featuring The Hedrons and f.o. machete will live long in the memory, both bands at the top of their game, with The Hedrons celebrating the release of their long awaited sophomore album and f.o. machete quite obviously just stoked to be back playing live. Now it is f.o. machete’s turn to release a new album, their hotly anticipated follow up to My First Machete.… Read the rest

Sultans of Ping FC & Meryl Streek – Live at St Lukes

February 9, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

At 16:00 today my plan was a lazy Saturday night in front of the telly, probably moaning about the shite that was on, probably involving at some point three of the unfunniest people on the planet, Michael fucking McIntyre and the talentless dullards from Tyneside, haudit and daudit who are constantly laughing at us as they gratefully take their millions earned purely for being halfwits.

By 16:15 though, my plans were turned on their head by the gracious intervention of several folks. including Meryl Streek himself, after a fortuitous visit to Mr Tony Gaughan’s veritable music emporium, the mighty Blitzkrieg opposite the best music venue in the world, Glasgow Barrowland.… Read the rest

Middle Class Guilt – The Committee – album review

February 5, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

A solo penny whistle introduces The Committee to the world before the rest of the band kick in, or should that be shuffle in, on Good Evening Shetland, musically a gloriously louche rambling style, while the song itself is a perfectly executed lesson in laidback rambling, both music and vocal coming together as one like the illicit coupling of The Pogues and Fat White Family with Mark E Smith watching surreptitiously from the sidelines.

The whole vibe of The Committee is one of organised chaos, a seeming feeling of casual nonchalance running through the arteries of the band, but don’t let this fool you, these songs have a bite like an XL bully, once the hypnotic rhythms get you they aren’t going to let go.… Read the rest

Lambrini Girls – Who Let the Dogs Out – album review

January 29, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

Lambrini Girls first caught my attention with their 2023 single Lads Lads Lads, which spurred me into purchasing their impressive  “You’re Welcome” EP and to take a trip over to Glasgow’s West End to catch the band live in the Hug and Pint. That was where I experienced the Lambrini Girls tour de force in full effect, playing a no holds barred set and laying waste to the heaving mass of bodies in the tiny and very sweaty basement venue. I would defy anyone to have walked away from that gig without a look of euphoric startled bewilderment on their faces and filled with a feeling of solidarity and righteous empowerment.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up – 2025 – January – Part 1

January 26, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

2025 has got off to a bang with some singles that I imagine I’ll still be loving in 12 months as we reach the end of the year. As usual there is an eclectic mixes of styles representing in this cross section of what January had to offer, this is Part 1, I’ll include a link to a playlist of ALL of January’s featured singles when I get to the last part…

Voitures – Doesn’t Know It Yet

A great start to the year from Glasgow’s Voitures with buzzsaw guitars aplenty on this addictive slice of psych rock that channels elements of The Beatles and Mansun on the hypnotic Doesn’t Know It Yet.… Read the rest