Category: Gig reviews

My Bloody Valentine – live in Glasgow

November 29, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

I don’t remember the last time I set foot in the Hydro for a gig. I detest the place with every fibre of my being, but… it was My Bloody Valentine who, somehow with all my years of going to gigs behind me, I’ve never managed to see live before now. As I walked into the arena I remembered exactly what it was I hated. It’s a soulless cave, and despite the numbers of people in early to catch J Mascis it was devoid of any atmosphere, like a vacuum had sucked the soul from every living being…

Then J Mascis ambled onto the huge Hydro stage and all was well as he proceeded to delight and wow in equal measure with his familiar languid drawl, just him and his acoustic guitar, heavy on the effects and distortion.… Read the rest

The Courettes – live in St Lukes

November 20, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

Live music is my life blood. Which is why the last few months have been so frustrating as it’s been patchy time, not that there haven’t been plenty of gigs to go to, quite the opposite, I’ve had plenty in my calendar, I just seem to have missed more than I’ve been to. The night before this one being one of those occasions, having looked forward to English Teacher for so long, when it came to the crunch, once more I couldn’t go… and I missed a blinder by all accounts. 

It was touch and go for tonight’s festivities, but I was damn sure that by hook or by crook I was going to make this one, how could I miss my favourite live band?… Read the rest

Son of the Right Hand – EP launch gig – Glad Cafe

November 15, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

It had been too long since I’d been at a gig in the Glad Cafe, especially considering that it and The Rum Shack are my local venues. It was especially great to walk into the venue knowing what I was going to witness, such is the beguiling and intriguing nature of the music of Son of the Right Hand. Clearly the feeling was mutual given the hubbub and upbeat buzz around the cosy and welcoming venue right from doors open. I had a good feeling that it was going to be a gig to remember.

Before the band got to officially launch their EP, we had two support bands to entertain us, with eclectic styles to mix things up a bit.… Read the rest

The Wytches – live in Nice n Sleazy

October 30, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

I’m going to admit it right now. I knew next to nothing of The Wytches before I walked through the door of Nice n Sleazy. To find out when the band announced it from the stage that they have just released album number FIVE, my first thought was, seriously were this lot recording albums when they were but mere foetuses? 

I know that sounded like the old “Aren’t doctors getting younger days” cliché…anyway before the Brighton four piece took to the stage it was the turn of Newcastle’s Melanie Baker, both lead singer and band name…, they played an outstanding support set of new songs “all these songs are unreleased” as they unleashed a set of quirky energetic indie rock songs with themes of everything from basically telling people to mind their own business to….… Read the rest

pedalo – live in McChuills

October 25, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

Walking into a busy McChuills from a crisply cold Friday evening in October, I was  immediately plunged into darkness as my glasses steamed up, so apologies to anyone I blanked on the way in… Alan. The bar was packed with a mixture of Friday night revellers and Psychedelic Furs fans stopping by for a few liveners before heading to Barrowland, a place where I could very well have been heading if I wasn’t staying put in one of Glasgow’s best bar-come-venues for a triple bill of three up and coming young Scottish bands.

First on the bill was Sick Pay, purveyors of indie anthems which pick up the baton from the Pixies school of loud quiet loud, blending poignant quiet moments with raucous frenzied guitar noise.… Read the rest

Panic Shack – Live in Glasgow, The Garage

October 17, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

All Panic Shack photographs courtesy of Chris Hogge Photography

Panic Shack were re-visiting our Dear Green Place as part of their powerhouse of a debut album tour having slayed a packed King Tuts in May prior to the album release. Having had the pleasure of being part of the sweaty mass on that occasion, the anticipation was great, and expectations high.

First up it was Punchbag and, having been introduced to the excellent duo The Pill on Panic Shack’s previous outing, then enjoying their return to Glasgow later in the year in Nice n Sleazy, I was hoping for another impressive support band.… Read the rest

Tenement Trail 2025

October 15, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

I’ve not written a blog/review since April… and reading that one back now, the negativity in my tone probably said as much about my state of mind at the time as it did about the event itself.

Maybe I should have noticed the slow decline from then until a few months later when things came to a head and my brain, for want of a better word, imploded and became my worst enemy once again. but hindsight is a great thing isn’t it? Slowly getting back on track means revisiting the things that bring a bit of joy and relief into an insane world and try to regain some sanity and balance, it means bringing some conscious positive habits in to replace all the unconscious negative habits that insidiously creep in.… Read the rest

Keeley/The Phlegm/Reverse Cowgirls – live in Glasgow

April 19, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

For some reason I didn’t get around to writing about this one… It was one of those usual dilemmas on a Saturday night in Glasgow, with so many great gigs in every weekend, there at least two that vie for attention, the decision usually having to be made to pick one over the other. On the night in question though I had the opportunity to get to two gigs in one night, and who am I to pass up an opportunity like that.

One not to be missed was Keeley’s first gig in the (in)famous King Tuts. This was Keeley’s fifth gig in Glasgow, and I was sure I wasn’t going to miss it, having missed the last visit supporting The Boo Radleys in Mono.… Read the rest

Klingonz – live in Audio, Glasgow with Thrown Away, Three n Eights and Numbskulls

April 18, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

Another epic night thanks to Shrunken Head Promotions in the company of Thrown Away, Three n Eights, Numbskulls and the mindblowing Klingonz, along with a cast of hundreds!

A Shrunken Heads night guarantees several occurrences… a great mix of musical genres; punk to rockabilly, ska to psychobilly and a melting pot of ages and styles, all coming together in a pit instigated by the usual suspects, alongside a huge grin on everyone’s  face and a feeling of being part of something bigger, and this occasion was certainly no exception.

Thrown Away kicked things off with their rollicking in yer face punk tunes, unfortunately work and life got in the way and I only caught their last two songs but there was plenty there to tempt me back for more.… Read the rest

House Guest Festival 2025 – Review

April 14, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

In 2024, the inaugural House Guest Festival was such a roaring success, I had high hopes and expectations for this years event. My hopes were most definitely not dashed as Scottish Music Collective & Crowded Flat pulled off another cracker of an event, planned perfectly and executed with a pinpoint precision, with timings being a major factor in events such as this, everything flowed as gracefully as as a swam gliding across water, but I’m sure this meant no end of unseen frantic exertion behind the scenes. Kudos to all involved.

Count the Days


The Sankaras opened proceedings in Sleazys, but my starter for 10 for the day was a furiously energetic Count the Days.… Read the rest