Garry Alexander Borland – Tribute gig – Audio, Glasgow 9/12

High on Emotion

This weekend ended on a pretty bloody special note. A night that will live long in the memory. No, scratch that, a night that I will never forget.

The weekend had kicked off on a high with a brilliant works night out, so it was fitting that it should end on a high too. There were moments of emotion throughout my weekend. My first viewing of It’s A Wonderful Life for the year always ends with my eyes watering slightly, well, quite a lot. And I welled up again during Sunday morning’s Santa Dash. I know, I’m a sap. 

Sunday night was like the weekend in a microcosm, starting and ending on a high but with a couple of emotional wobbles throughout.

Tribute to a Unique Frontman

This was the second of two nights paying tribute to the late Garry Alexander Borland, charismatic frontman of Leith based punks Heavy Drapes.

By all accounts, Saturday evening in Edinburgh’s Voodoo Rooms had been a triumph. I had seen photos and Facebook posts raving about it from those present, but avoided watching any of the videos, choosing instead to hold on to my anticipation and experience it for myself.

Top Line-Up

The line-up was perfect for the occasion, the night’s shenanigans pening with the mighty Reaction. A band that to me is synonymous with Heavy Drapes, having witnessed them live together on several occasions and having been labelmates on Tarbeach Records. Follow that with Heavy Drapes themselves featuring Peter Coyne paying tribute to Garry on vocals, then playing with his own band The Godfathers, a band much loved and respected by Garry.

Crashing Like Stars

Crashing Like Stars may be the name of the Heavy Drapes album, but tonight there was a very definite alignment of the stars, with everything coming together perfectly and every band on the form of their lives.

Reaction

Reaction was no exception. Having recently released their second album Keep it Weird, Keep it Wired, their high-octane set was a mix of tracks old and new. The band kicked of with Carson paying tribute to Garry’s well know battle cry by screaming “We’re Reaction and we’re a fucking punk rock band”

If this was their way of setting out their stall, they certainly didn’t disappoint with one of the tightest sets I’ve ever seen them play. I don’t know if it was the sense of occasion but something came together and for the half hour or so of their set, they owned the stage. Carson prowling around like a ticking time-bomb set to explode at any moment.

In true reprobate fashion, Weekend Offender kicked off proceedings quickly followed by an incendiary Fireball XL5. The next brace of tunes came form the new record. The more I listen to this album the more I love it. In fact, I might even like it more than Accelerator. No mean feat considering that record was near perfection. 

Days of Eldorado has some sweet riffing and inspired lyrical couplings. They followed that with my current favourite album track, the tale of Airdrie gangs that is Saints of Tamla Hill. Its Sonic Youth like intro and sinister chorus of “Tamla Hill Hill Hill, Kick to kill kill kill” ringing around the venue and eliciting a great crowd reaction (pardon the pun).

The rest of the set was drawn from the debut and went down a storm. finishing with live favourite and the first “I Wanna” song of the evening, I Wanna Be Your Dee Dee Ramone.

What an opening. We were in for a great night.

Heavy Drapes

As performances go, Heavy Drapes set was explosive.

Garry’s spirit and energy filled the room, his presence was felt as the band did him proud and played a raucous dynamic set. Billy, Richie and Jerry combining as one. Billy’s powerhouse drumming sounding sensational, complementing Richie’s intense supersonic guitar riffage, and, despite Jerry being unable to hear his own bass, to us it was solid and perfect. Add to that the vocals of Peter Coyne, chief Godfather (Don Coy(leo)ne?), friend and mentor for Garry and the scene was set…

The band ignited a passion around the venue, drawing from the Heavy Drapes album and covers the band have played live and have influenced them over the years. Opening with the bombastic Number One, a fitting start to  tribute to a number one mainman in Garry. The enthusiastically partisan crowd were singing along from the very start, continuing into lead track from the debut EP, Should I Suck, or Should I Blow?

Coyne had me on the verge of tears again with his heartfelt message about Garry being more than just a frontman – a husband, father, brother, son, friend…I know I wasn’t alone in that emotion.

Next up it was the grinding chainsaw thrash of live favourite, the terrace-like rousing beast of a song that is Make Some Noise. Make some noise you say? We didn’t need a second invitation with the “up against the wall” refrain shouted fervently by all in attendance. Time for a breather? Not a chance!

Straight into the double header of stonking covers. The Stooges proto-punk of I Wanna Be Your Dog (second I Wanna song of the night) swiftly followed by The Ramones Beat on the Brat (or Theresa May if Coyne had his way.)

A brace of Drapes originals, and already classics, followed with the driving beat of Hanging like a Suicide and the “should’ve been huge” magnificence of Into the Blue. A song whose one line “I think its alright to be me” speaks more to me that all of the dross that passes off as “hits” these days. A mantra for life – live life the way you want to, don’t let others drag you down, don’t compromise for anyone. Life is too short.

Two more covers – The Godfathers Hup 2,3,4 and The Pistols anthem Anarchy in the UK followed before the band finished their set with their very own stirring anthem, the pounding NYC glam stomp (and 3rd I Wanna song of the evening) Maladjusted. My personal favourite Heavy Drapes song and a fitting way to finish the last ever Drapes gig. Last ever gig it may have been but at the end of the set I felt euphoric rather than sad.

As the band gathered stage front to take their bows, there were a few in attendance overcome with emotion. The spirit of Garry Alexander Borland in the room was intensely palpable.

G.A.B. R.I.P. He was the singer in a fucking punk rock band, and boy did that band of friends and mentor (dubbed the Heavy Gods – copyright Chris Davis) do you proud tonight sir.

The Godfathers

The night was far from over though. One of the memorable things about tonight was the friendship and camaraderie around the venue as friends new and old hugged, laughed, cried and reminisced over memories of Garry as both a friend and frontman. A whole gamut of emotions was on display, an outpouring of lover for a unique character

It was the turn of Peter Coyne to take the stage again, this time with his own band of men in black, The Godfathers.

Kicking off with This is War from 1991’s Unreal World, the band played a thumping set of monstrous magnificence. A Big Bad Beautiful Noise indeed.

It is hard to understand why a band of this calibre with such a burgeoning back catalogue is only playing venues of this size. They have a sound so colossal it could easily fill a room like Barrowland. Still, the positive that can be taken is that for those gathered this evening to pay tribute to Garry were treated to an astounding set in such an intimate venue.

If anyone had forgotten just how many top songs the band have, tonight served as a reminder. Songs from last year’s A Big Bad Beautiful Noise, such as the poignant Till My Heart Stops Beating, Defibrillator and the huge title track easily sat alongside the classic Godfathers of This Damn Nation and I Want Everything.

Hard to pick highlights from such a set but tunes like How Low is Low and Halfway Paralysed take some beating in my book.

The band drew the evening to a close with the booming Birth, School, Work, Death, giving those assembled enough time to have a last drink in memory of Garry. 

With reluctance I headed off to catch my last train, head still buzzing and ears still ringing from the night, heart full and face beaming from old memories shared and new memories made.

RIP Garry Alexander Borland. You were much more than a singer in a fucking punk rock band, but as that singer you brought joy to many and you are sorely missed. Muchos Respectos – shine brightly Garry.