emon Drink Hug and Pint

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

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

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.

Sacred Noise Live in Bloc+
Sacred Noise Live in Bloc+

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

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 live

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

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

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

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

Ramonas

Ramonas/Reaction – Live in Glasgow/Nice n Sleazys

The second gig of the weekend for me was an entirely different affair from the night before, a full throttle punk affair featuring Airdrie’s Reaction and the high octane thrill ride that is Ramonas. Unfortunately due to train cancellations I missed the start of Reaction’s set, but appropriately, when I arrived, breathless from a quick sprint up from the station, they were part way through Faster, a theme which was to be a core principle for the evenings entertainment.

As I sat in the station earlier, and the announcements came over the tannoy about cancelled trains, I almost chucked it and went home, my head telling me “Its Sunday night, maybe you’d be better having an early night – work tomorrow”.… Read the rest

Sister John and The Bluebells – Last Night From Glasgow – CCA – Live review

The oft rescheduled second night of the Last Night From Glasgow double header of Sister John/The Bluebells finally took place last night, and boy was it worth the wait.

The return to live music was apparent across the city with gigs ranging from The Monochrome Set to Vlure, When Rivers Meet to Dead Pony and Atom Age, and not one but two LNFG double headers, the other being St Dukes and The Muldoons in Stereo.

This time around it was The Bluebells kicking off the evening, one which saw both bands on fire both musically and with their on stage banter with the crowd.… Read the rest

Weekend Offenders – a weekend of punk’n debauchery

My creaking bones and tired feet are just recovering from my old folks weekend out (no offence meant to anyone else on the wrong side of 50).

Talking of offence, the weekend offending started on Friday might with a gathering of the usual suspects in the intimate surroundings of McChuills on High Street, for what seemed like the first time in forever.

This is Scotland Calling …

On the bill, two of Scotlands finest exponents of harmonious first wave of punk rock sound, The Zips and Reaction. This was one of several gigs around Glasgow on the eve of Scotland Calling and Record Store Day, triggering conversations around the reasons why bands such as these two are constantly overlooked for the annual punk festival in Glasgow, an ideal opportunity to showcase the best in Scottish punk.… Read the rest

Ginger Wildheart and Jon Poole Tour

Ginger Wildheart/”Random” Jon Poole/Carol Hodge – live in Bannermans, Edinburgh

Being a lifelong weegie, I don’t often venture through to the East for a gig, normally sticking to Glasgow City centre or its immediate environs. However, with no Glasgow date on this tour, I risked a nosebleed and made my way, with my brother, another ginger Hodge (sans quiff) through to my first ever Bannermans gig.

As I thought may be the case, we immediately bumped into another West coaster who had made the trip through and soon, I was bumping into several friendly faces, making the trip worth it before a note was even played.

Carol Hodge

This was a night of firsts, and despite my championing her music for some time, reviewing her albums and interviewing her for the blog, this was the first time I had seen my fellow Hodge live (apart from on several online gigs during COVID – but they don’t count).… Read the rest