Live review - The Ginger Quiff

Junk Pups & Tina Sandwich live – Nice n Sleazy

February 27, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

It was the end of a week/weekend where, for one reason or another I missed another couple of gigs that promised much… but so did Sunday night’s Sleazy Sessions in, where else but Nice n Sleazy on Sauchiehall Street, and I managed to make that one. This was a showcase for five artists/bands, but there were a couple in particular that caught my eye, two of my bright hopes for 2023, none other than the formidable Tina Sandwich, and the dynamic four piece that make up the awe-inspiring Junk Pups.

Emma Dunlop opened the night in impressive style, coming onstage just her and an acoustic guitar.… Read the rest

New Years Revolution – King Tuts Ft. Brontes, Lemon Drink and Tina Sandwich

January 29, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

This should have been the second New Years Revolution gig I attended in Tuts this January but having unfortunately missed out on Junk Pups and Lloyds House last Friday, I was pulling out the stops to make sure I didn’t miss out again. Like the First Footing gig at the hug and Pint a few weeks ago, this gig was proof positive that the Glasgow music scene is in rude health with so many quality young bands around.

It’s a sign of my age that the kids of two friends are bass players in two of the bands who are bright shining lights in the current Glasgow scene.… Read the rest

Water Machine again… with The Cool Greenhouse and Former Champ

January 22, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Witnessing Water Machine again came at the end of a week that began with Westminster making an attempt to block the Gender Recognition Reform Bill recently passed by the Scottish Parliament, resulting in loads of Karen’s coming out of the woodwork to express their outrage, literally. I heard a debate on the radio where an atypical Daily Mail reader, called Karen, I shit you not, was having apoplexy live on air, but could not back up the reason for her anger with anything remotely resembling coherent thoughts. The week ended in a show of support for the trans community with a protest at the Concert Hall steps on Buchanan Street against using trans rights as a political football.… Read the rest

Bikini Body/Water Machine/Jock Fox/Sacred Noise – First Footing – live in The Hug and Pint

January 8, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

This gig was brought to you by 432 presents. And COWBELLS!

In my world you can never have too many cowbells so this gig felt like cowbell utopia.

All joking aside, the abundance of cowbells that ran throughout most of the bands sets tonight was only a small contributing part of what made this the perfect gig to start my music year off with a bang.

Tonight was the perfect tonic for the January blues. Despite being known as Mr Christmas in some quarters, I didn’t really “feel” Christmas last year, so there wasn’t the usual post Christmas comedown, just a general feeling of malaise and relief that the shitshow of 2022 is now in the past.… Read the rest

22 for ’22 (re-visited)

December 19, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

At the end of 2021/start of 2022 I posted a blog about 22 bands/gigs/records I was looking forward to in 2022. I thought I’d have a quick look back on this before I consider the 23 for ’23 blog…

The Courettes

I’m not sure I can say anything about The Courettes that I’ve not said before. Their gig in McChuills certainly did not disappoint and with an album of B-sides and outtakes from the wonderful Back in Mono album to keep us going until the next album proper, the hardest working band in music ticked the boxes once again. Fabulous. Until the next time…

The Courettes – McChuills – The Courettes – Back in Mono (Outtakes & B Sides)

Run Into the Night/Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something

I had been looking forward to the double header from the Glasgow duet and the remarkable Jemma Freeman and her band for ages, and with good reason.… Read the rest

The Carol Hodge Band & Sarah Borges live in The Glad Cafe

November 25, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

I achieved a hat trick of Carol Hodge performances for 2022, covering all bases, Carol solo, Carol with Crass and finally The Carol Hodge Band. I have to say that on a dreich November Thursday, The Glad Cafe was the place to be, amongst friendly faces and a musical welcome that was like a pure shot of Serotonin.

I’ve always been an advocate for turning up to gigs early to catch the support band. You never know what you might miss. I was once lucky enough to see a fledgling Radiohead support Kingmaker in King Tuts. Tonight I was there specifically for the support band, and anything else was a bonus.… Read the rest

The Countess of Fife live in The Glad Cafe

November 19, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

Having had a disappointing gig experience on the previous evening, it was down to The Countess to restore my faith in the re-invigorating nature of immersing yourself in live music. I had every faith in the band to deliver, and deliver they did, a first-class performance to announce the arrival of the stunning debut album Star of the Sea (reviewed here)

The venue was the intimate setting of southside gem, The Glad Cafe, where I was delighted join a sea of friendly faces in celebrating the album’s release. Before the main attraction it was the turn of Kirsten Adamson (as a fellow Fifer, Kirsten is also a member of the headliners) to entertain.… Read the rest

The Hurricanes, The Jets, Sugababes, Sacred Noise and Millie Manders & the Shut Up – live in Glasgow

November 12, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

I’ve missed far too many live gigs in Glasgow I had tickets for this year. Thankfully I managed to get to three in the past week, despite nearly blowing one out but relenting at the last minute.

Last Saturday I took my brother back to a venue he hadn’t visited since I dragged him along to an eye opener for him in the form of Agnostic Front at Audio. This time around it was for a night of rock n roll and rockabilly from The Hurricanes and The Jets. Cuttin’ a Rug had been playing too, however, we only managed to arrive when The Hurricanes were already in full flow.… Read the rest

The Hedrons (and more…) – live in Glasgow

October 23, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

In the mid-noughties The Hedrons burst onto the music scene in a blaze of unfettered energetic punk rock glory but, much to the disappointment of their fervent fanbase, that flame burnt brightly but briefly and within a couple of years Tippi, Soup, Rosie & Gill were gone, leaving us with their sole album, One More Won’t Kill Us to console us.

Thankfully, Past Night From Glasgow has recently reissued the album, remastered and with extra tracks, which culminated in last night’s gig, nay, celebration featuring the remarkable talents of this most fondly remembered of bands.… Read the rest

Return to Returned from Sea – Sister John live in the Glad Cafe

September 24, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

glad (adjective) “feeling pleasure or happiness”

I have to say that after a few weeks of feeling little pleasure or happiness, last night, The Glad Cafe was an appropriately named venue for the fifth birthday celebration of Returned from Sea, the gloriously emotional debut album from Sister John. Nights like this should be available on prescription. the power that live music can have over me cannot be emphasised enough.

I think I can be fairly sure I’m not just speaking for myself when I say how special this night was. A quick scan around the venue during Sister John’s set and I observing rapt faces entirely transfixed by the perfect performance from the effortlessly cool quartet of Jonathan (complete with broken finger), Amanda, Sophie and Heather.… Read the rest