After recent weeks events with the racist right wing rioters taking to the streets (of England & Northern Ireland) to claim “are country” back it was heartening to see UK-wide counter protests claim the streets back from these knuckle-draggers to prove that the fascist scum are in the minority.
To join in on these celebrations of togetherness, I ventured out to my first “gig” in about 3 weeks to the sun swathed Govanhill Street Music Festival, three stages in the area catering for every music taste.
Scottish Faultlines
Unfortunately I didn’t make it to the Reggae Stage at the Bees Knees Cafe with the Bass Warrior Soundsystem, my day kicking off in the early afternoon sunshine at the Belljar Stage being entertained by the inimitable Hugh Haggerty in his guise of Scottish Faultlines. Hugh played an entertaining set of acoustic songs to an appreciative gathering, drawing people in from the surrounding streets throughout. The set included his ode to the city, funnily enough titled Glasgow, and his glorious latest single Lemons for Lovers. Next up for him is a night with new stars on the scene The Cords and Stevie Jackson & the Reverberations on 13th September in the Glad Cafe.
Junk Pups
A quick refreshment in The Belljar before adjourning to the Love Music Hate Racism stage on Albert Road/Victoria Road for the mighty Junk Pups. Regular readers will be aware of my admiration for this superb avant-garde garage punk Queer quartet, and I’m delighted to say they were once again on top form, I’m sure adding new fans to their swelling fan base while cementing them in my mind as one of Scotland’s most entertaining, accomplished and in demand live bands.
The band played a top quality set of their usual standards, bookending the gig with their first two singles Front Garden Flamingoes and the incredible Miss Behave, and including personal favourites like Hoi Polloi, Trophy Wife and the country-punk of Jesus Wept. They also cleverly reintroduced their high octane cover of Talking Heads Psychokiller to pique the interest of new fans, it was a welcome return for their exceptional cover which has been missing from the set the last few times I’ve seen them. The band finished to a hollering ovation, if they continue in this ascendency I predict great things for this band.
San Jose
After a further refreshment, it was a hot day after all, it was time for the headliners of the Love Music Hate Racism stage, San Jose, to entertain the gathered masses, and entertain they most certainly did. The bands animated frontman displayed a wide range of emotions, not only through his thoughtful lyrics and engaging vocals, but with his energetic body language as he paced up and down and languished on the pavement on Albert Road.
The six piece, originally from Kilmarnock, have plenty of earnest messages behind the songs, and a deep set passion equally demonstrated by between song declarations. Their theatrical performance was matched with the dramatic musicality from the band, the set sounding like an unholy alliance between The Fall, Fat White Family, Fontaines DC, Joy Division and The Blinders. Catch San Jose on their Scottish Tour climaxing in Glasgow’s Old Hairdressers on the 23rd of August.
We shouldn’t forget what has just occurred on the streets around the UK in recent weeks, and an impassioned speech from the stage organisers ended the day reminding us all of the messages we need to remember, immigrants are welcome here, black lives matter… love music, hate racism.
Don’t forget on 7th of September, the Say No to Racism demonstration against the far right in Glasgow.
