Gig reviews - The Ginger Quiff

The Interrupters – Live in Glasgow

November 27, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Fight the Good Fight

Three albums in and seven years down the line, The Interrupters played their debut Scottish gig to a fervent sold-out crowd in The Garage. It may have been a long time waiting for many of those in attendance last night, judging by the comments on my Facebook feed before the gig. The wait was worth it for them all.

It may have been a long time coming, but the band have spent their time well, and taken heed from their mentors, working with the likes of Rancid’s Tim Armstrong, ensuring that their debut gig in Glasgow would be a night to remember.… Read the rest

Duncan Reid and the Big Heads, Reaction & Powderkeg – Live in Glasgow

November 19, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Music is good for the soul

Music is good for your very being, listening to some of your favourite music in a live environment does make a difference.

There is an element of unfairness here. So many creative, artistic people are struck by mental health illness yet music itself has the ability to lift the soul and raise the spirits. It certainly forms an important part in keeping my body and soul together. Granted it is not the only thing, but without it, there would be a black hole…

If Carlsberg made Friday night gigs in Glasgow…

Duncan Reid and the Big Heads would be headlining, with Airdrie late 70’s punk legends Reaction and young rock stars in the making PowderKeg…

Oh, wait…

Substitute Mainy for Carlsberg and the dream becomes a reality.… Read the rest

IDLES – Glasgow QMU

October 21, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

A Date to Remember

Saturday the 20th October was a pretty unremarkable day. I spent it doing tedious household chores. Pretty unmemorable really.

But come 10pm that had all changed. Saturday evening of the 20th October 2018 in the QMU in Glasgow from around 8.30pm until 10pm was extraordinary 90 minutes, long to live in the memory, a date to be written into my history.

Joy as an Act of Resistance

For too long I have listened to people long in the tooth dissing the music of today…No originality. They are just trying to be the new…whoever. Is there such a thing as originality now, can anyone do something that hasn’t been done before?… Read the rest

Tenement Trail 2018 – The Garage

October 7, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Tenement Trail

This is the first time I had attended this festival. To be fair, this post doesn’t do the Tenement Trail justice. I had a lot on the day of the trail so was unable to take full advantage of the entire day’s events. Featuring as it does, 60 bands across 10 venues in Glasgow. What I did see was enough to know that the Trail is a worthy, special event. One that I’m likely to frequent in the future.

Tijuana Bibles

Having picked up my wristband earlier in the day and finishing off what I needed to do, I headed to the Garage early evening.… Read the rest

The Speed of Life – review Glasgow 9th September

September 10, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

The Speed of Life

It seems like I had been looking forward to being entertained by Richard Jobson, punk frontman, actor, author, model, presenter, raconteur and the multi-talented Martin Metcalfe writer, musician, composer, artist for aeons when the day finally came around. With those two involved it was sure to be an interesting and intriguing evening’s entertainment.

We were glad to finally take our seats having endured the typical Scottish summertime in getting to The Admiral. Sun splitting the sky, interspersed with monsoon like rain. In typical fashion the sunny bits were just before leaving the house and while waiting in the station/on then train.… Read the rest

Trashcan Sinatras – Live in Oran Mor – 2nd August 2018

August 4, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

While most of Europe continues to bask in the biggest heatwave since the summer of ‘76. Tonight in Glasgow it was wet and miserable. There was some sunshine on the horizon though with a trip to see one of Scotlands premier bands live.

This should have been the second time I’d seen them this week. Lets just say, due to a senior moment, I forgot I was supposed to be out on Sunday night at a gig. Hopefully the first and last of these moments…

Anyway, as a result you could be damn sure I wasn’t going to miss tonight’s gig.… Read the rest

Fur Dixon live – Edinburgh Opium. WTFukushima

July 16, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

32 year wait…

Saturday night saw the culmination of a 32 year wait. Well to be fair I haven’t been sitting in a darkened room since 1986 waiting for this gig. However, since the tour of the UK and Spain was announced & I had the opportunity to interview her and review her debut solo album under the Fur Dixon (WTFukushima) banner for Louder Than War, I have been excited about the opportunity to see her live and in person.

Having seen her posts on social media since the gigs kicked off in London on Thursday in the Moth Club, the anticipation had been growing.… Read the rest

The Waterboys – Live – Glasgow Barrowland

July 4, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Hot in the City

As the heatwave continues across Scotland, confusing and delighting in equal measure. What is this bright light in the sky? Why is it giving us heat? I joined the hordes of people heading east. I’m not talking far. I’m talking Glasgow Barrowland. Judging by the age of many of the folk around me and their attire, I was pretty certain most of them weren’t heading to the same place as me. They were going further…

Tonight on Glasgow Green it was the turn of nasal whiner extraordinaire to bore, sorry entertain the crowds. I was more than happy to swing into the Barrowland and avoid the risk of sunstroke and hayfever.… Read the rest

The Vapors – Live in the Bungalow Bar, Paisley. 1st July 2018

July 2, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Paisleys burning…

What a way to round off a smouldering hot weekend.

Another scorcher. The weather? Well yes, it was. The scorcher to which I’m referring though was another all-conquering night of entertainment in Paisley’s famous Bungalow Bar.

The Vapors blazed a trail though their back catalogue with barely a chance to take breath. Granted, with the heat outside and in the venue, there wasn’t much of an opportunity to draw breath. I reckon even without the weather I’d be wiping the sweat from my brow at the end of this blistering gig.

WHT TH FCK S TRSMT?

As half of Glasgow seemed to be heading to enjoy the sunshine on Glasgow Green for Arctic Monkeys only festival appearance this year.… Read the rest

Hollywood Vampires – undead in Glasgow, 19th June

June 20, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

The last of a rash of gigs over a few days. This time the turn of LA “super group” The Hollywood Vampires.

It was a Hydro gig so I was already managing my expectations in terms of what the atmosphere would be like. The venue is cavernous and soulless at the best of times. Many bands struggle to build an atmosphere despite their best efforts. This and the fact that there were tickets selling on Groupon in the run up at less than half price suggesting poor sales.

On arrival, I noticed many seats were curtained off. I don’t know if that was due to the sales or it was always the plan to only have some of the sections open.… Read the rest