Gig reviews - The Ginger Quiff

Pizza Crunch, Vansleep, Tina Sandwich & Static – Summer Sessions live in King Tuts

August 28, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

I used to be a regular visitor to Tuts, but my visits now seem to be few and far between. I first ventured there when it was still called Saints and Sinners for a 40th birthday party, attended the opening night as King Tuts Wah Wah Hut (before half of last nights audience was born probably…) and I’ve been to some pretty special nights there over the years – Suede, Radiohead supporting Kingmaker, Scamheads (secret Skunk Anansie show), Trashcan Sinatras, Fatima Mansions…the list goes on. I’m what you could call a long in the tooth gig goer now, or just old, but that doesn’t mean I just go to gigs by what i hear called ”heritage” acts (who makes these things up?)… Read the rest

Bob Vylan – Live in Oran Mor

August 8, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

Bob Vylan exploded onto the punk scene a couple of years ago with their incendiary commentary of life as a black man in 20th Century Britain, We Live Here (of course one of tonights highlights) which captured the imagination of the nation and was a much needed shot in the arm to a scene whose ageing fan base includes a number of right wing curmudgeons who appear to be oblivious to, or have forgotten, some of what the original punk scene was standing up against back in the 70s. Maybe they are taking the lead from the once great but increasingly irrelevant John ”Rotten” Lydon.… Read the rest

Brat Coven, Brenda & Dusk Amadeus – live in The Hug and Pint

August 7, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

My working week last week was bookended by two of the Endless Summer nights in the Hug and Pint, the latter featuring the darkly gothic shoegaze of Dusk Amadeus, the utter joy that is the experience of a Brenda show, and the first headline show for the angry riot grrrl punks, Brat Coven.

Dusk Amadeus

Events were conspiring to have me miss this gig, having firstly to turn for home realising I’d forgotten my wallet, then eventually getting to the station to discover my train was cancelled. Thankfully though, although I missed the start of Dusk Amadeus set, i did catch the second half.… Read the rest

Slim Jim Phantom Trio & The Hurricanes – Live in Mono

August 6, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

I’ve never managed to see The Stray Cats live. I’ve come close a few times, having seen Brian Setzer solo, and havlng had tickets for the ill fated final tour when the headline draw of tonights show fell off the stage before the Glasgow date, leading to the rest of the farewell tour being cancelled! After tonight I only now need to add Lee Rocker to that list.

Walking into Mono on Friday night was like taking a step back in time. A most welcome one I should add, the sea of quiffs of different shapes and sizes, the variety of vintage clothing styles and classic old school rockabilly fashion was a joy to behold.… Read the rest

Lemon Drink, flinch., Sacred Noise & Miss the Occupier – Live in the Hug and Pint

August 1, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

What better way to avoid the Sunday night blues than to attend a gig in one of my favourite little Glasgow venues with four (count em!) brilliant bands. Part of the series of the Endless Summer gigs in the venue, the line up was set to make this a very special night, and one which stuck two fingers up to the festivals that continue to lean heavily on white male guitar bands (says the aging white male who can’t play the guitar… but ), a fact which did not pass flinch. by… making a tongue in cheek comment about the line up being made up of white female electric guitar bands instead… Seriously though, on a night where England and Germany were battling it out in the women’s Euro’s, well done England… it was refreshing to be at a gig where male band members were outnumbered 2 to 1.… Read the rest

Sacred Noise/Watters – live in Bloc+ Glasgow

July 16, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

First up, kudos to Bloc+, what’s not to love about this bar? The whole ethics around the place are fantastic, its whole reason for being, the food (amazing!), the welcoming atmosphere, and especially from tonight’s perspective, its support of grassroots music.

It was with music in mind I was in attendance tonight, mainly, I have to say, to see Sacred Noise, but as someone who soaks up music like a sponge, I was interested to hear Watters having done a bit of research when I’d seen who Sacred Noise were playing with.

This was live gig number four for Sacred Noise, and having been to their debut live performance in the self same venue earlier in the year, I was looking forward to seeing them again.… Read the rest

His Lordship – Live in McChuills

July 10, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

While the hordes of fake tanned youths and lads with bum bags descended upon Glasgow Green and a large contingent of the potential His Lordship crowd were lording it up at Pineda psychobilly festival, a small gathering in Glasgow could have a smug grin on their faces that they were at an insanely epic gig by the aforementioned His Lordship in the small but perfectly formed McChuills venue.

Nicky Stewart was spinning the tunes in the main bar, the bar staff serving drinks to Fontaines DC who had popped in for a pint after their TRNSMT set, meanwhile in the venue, the early birds were enjoying a superb set by Zydell Henry, the Rockytonk troubadour, proving that its always a good idea to get in early for the support.… Read the rest

Goodbye Mr MacKenzie/Lola in Slacks/Callum Easter – live in Barrowland

June 18, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

Who knew that after the last time Goodbye Mr MacKenzie played Barrowland in 2019 we’d have such a long wait until they returned, but return they did and boy was it worth the wait. The gig in The Garage in 2018 was special because it was a gig I thought I’d never see again, the heightened emotions from all in attendance meant a night that will live long in the memory, as will the return to Barrowland the following year, another special night. How would they be able to follow such a pair of remarkable Glasgow gigs?

Before I reveal all, I can’t omit the support bands.… Read the rest

The Fabulous Courettes – Live in McChuills

June 12, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

There is no reason to go to another gig this year.

There is no reason to go to another gig ever again.

I jest of course.

You can never get enough live music, but can it get better than The Fabulous Courettes in Glasgow’s McChuills tonight?

This band is the essence of what a live gig should be all about. If you could bottle the vital energy, positivity and a sheer vibe of pure unadulterated joy that permeated the atmosphere in this intimate venue tonight, you’ve got the way to world peace… ok, maybe the natural pheromones in my brain are still in overdrive, but at least for a couple of hours tonight, I and I’m sure a room full of people in a small corner of Glasgow felt invincible.… Read the rest

Run Into The Night/Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something – live

May 29, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

Sometimes things are worth the wait.

in a week where I personally had an intense release of pressure after finally delivering the pilot of a training programme that has been delayed for years not months due to COVID, Run Into the Night and Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something finally got to play their gig in Broadcast. And what a gig it was to, a celebration of all that is good about live music, a coming together of like minded souls, a common stream of consciousness if you like, basically, with an emphasis on having a good time.

We arrived too late to see the first support Fog Bandit, who appeared to have gone down well with the assembled throng.… Read the rest