Two sold out album launch gigs in one weekend! Monsieur, with these gigs you are really spoiling us… Well to be fair, this one should have been in January but Storm Eowyn had other ideas. Tonight Paul was pragmatic about the whole affair, “Mogwai were due to be playing the same night, there was only ever going to be one winner there” was his deadpan comment from the stage.
Mother of a Thousand is a phenomenal album so whoever else may or may not have been playing this Sundays night in Glasgow there was only one place I wanted to be, and the band can be safe in the knowledge that after a such a mind-blowing gig, the album was well and truly launched. If there was any justice in the world, this launching would see their album go interstellar and airways the world over would be filled with their paint-blistering tunes.
Before the main event, the crowd was to be warmed up by another band who feature on the Last Night From Glasgow roster, in the form of Superhuman. With a polite introduction and a couple of whoops from an appreciative crowd of early comers, the Glasgow duo of Paul Humphreys and Gregor Reid, proceeded to mesmerise with their beautifully enchanting instrumental journey of sound, captivating synths and delicately ethereal guitar parts combined to create a warm and hypnotic sonic soundscape. I’m ashamed to say, while I have the vinyl at home, I’ve not yet listened. You can be sure that will be rectified forthwith.
Not yet listened to is not a phrase that can’t be used to describe Mother of a Thousand. This collection of incredible songs has never been far from my turntable since I got my grubby paws on it, the perfectly formed textured soundwaves created by Paul and Natasha often vibrating through my eardrums and filling my brain with a heady mix of intoxicating tunes, and my soul with joy.
Just before Superhuman took to the stage I found a nervous Natasha lurking up at the back of the venue… I always say that nerves ahead of something you are passionate about is a good thing, if I didn’t still feel nervous before delivering a training course, I’d be worried, as it would indicate I didn’t care. When the band took to the stage and launched into an intensely ferocious Confetti Crown, the passion from the tight quintet on stage was beyond question, they really care about what they do, surely the furious delivery of the set opener itself was a positive validation, but if there were any nerves lingering, the rapturous reception from a packed Sleazys surely blew them away.
What followed was a mind-blowing chronological run through of Mother of a Thousand, which had already started on an explosive high and somehow managed to increase in intensity, songs like The Most Dangerous Thing You Own and Jettison feeling like some sort of viciously cleansing catharsis. Having been at an album release gig the night before which will live long in the memory, I had to wonder how this would measure up. I needn’t have worried, It was as if the band had read my mind and took it as a challenge… we’ll show you! If I was in awe of the bands return to the fray when supporting The Hedrons in Room 2, which of course I was, this gig took things to a whole new level of mindfuckery. It was hard to believe what I was seeing and hearing as Paul wrangled some extraordinary noises from his weapon of choice. His time with The Cherry Wave clearly still fresh in the memory…The band were clearly enjoying the set too, Natasha taking the opportunity during tuning between songs to banter with the crowd, while Paul cracked a few deadpan funnies throughout. Was he late for work in Monday though?
The whole set was a lesson in how to soothe the listener one minute, Natasha’s serene often hushed vocal fooling the listener with a sense of calm on the likes of Milk (or should I say Muwk) the next minute they’re melting your face off with Paul’s searing guitar reaching nuclear meltdown levels, and Natasha’s vocal suddenly matches the fury of all the instruments melding into a glorious cacophony of noise. Pixies once had a documentary made about them called loudQUIETloud, and I can’t think of a better description of f.o. machete’s live set, the quiet moments bring just as hugely impactful as the ear melting moments and giving a enthralling and provocative texture to the bands gargantuan sound. Unfortunately as the closing bars of The Enhance Button is not Working echoed around the room, we knew, like all good things, the set had to come to an end.
But there was only a momentary respite from the sonic onslaught as the band returned to finish the gig in style with their riotous cover of Olivia Newton John’s Physical and another welcome blast from the past in the form of the wonderful Panda from My First Machete before popping their confetti shooters as they accepted an uproarious reception.
If you were too slow off the mark to get a ticket for this tremendous show, get off your sofa grandad and grab a ticket for Miki Berenyi 3’s upcoming Edinburgh gig where it would be advisable you turn up early for your spirit revitalising dose of f.o. machete.