Dancer, Brenda & Water Machine photos all courtesy of @Blackmagicplastic
Despite the gig year hurtling apace towards its inevitable conclusion, December still holds some diamond nuggets in its dying embers, with some of Scotland’s brightest hopes and searing hot burning talents still to perform while continuing to gather plaudits, and gearing up for more to come in 2024 with some festive frolics.
Last week I attended my first ever Queer Theory night in Nice n Sleazy, and what a welcoming night and magnificent celebration of the queer scene in Glasgow it was. Kudos to the organisers for pulling together such a slick night, a combination of comedy, poetry, drag acts, cabaret, performance art, and of course, my initial reason for buying a ticket, Junk Pups.
Surely one of Glasgow’s most exciting new bands, quiet and unassuming when you meet them, but on stage an entirely different kettle of fish. The four of them utterly brilliant in their own right, but coming together as one in one joyous melee that infuses blues, post punk and country in their own unique and very special sound. Sophie is an enigma, don’t let that seemingly reticent and hushed demeanour fool you, once behind that kit all hell breaks loose, the powerhouse behind the band. The rhythm section is completed by the gobsmacking thunderous bass provided by Dylan, who just exudes the fun they are having when they play. That only leaves Ishi with her mind blowing phenomenal blues inspired guitar lines and Jack channelling everyone from Johnny Cash to Dolly with that voice that blows my mind every time. Look out 2024, Junk Pups are going to explode.
And they’re not the only ones. Fast forward one week, and an intimate Friday night in The Hidden Lane, courtesy of one of the most perfect gig line ups you could ask for, in the shape of Dancer, Brenda and Water Machine in the cosy surroundings of La Chunky studio. Perhaps the first, and last time, I’ll feel like a red carpet celebrity. I’m still glowing with a mix of joy and uncomfortable anxiety from the welcoming committee at the door as I arrived.
Any regular blog readers will be well aware, due to my endless ramblings, about my love of all things Brenda and Water Machine, but I was delighted to finally tick off the Dancer live (spell check made that love, maybe I should have left it) experience having missed it a couple of times already in 2023. What a tight unit they are. Chris wrangled sounds from his guitar that fucked with my tiny mind, while Andrew laid down some spectacular bass lines with Gavin led the charge on drums. Gemma provided the icing on the cake with an outstanding vocal performance and some top quality lyrics. I’m still singing newer song Chill Pill in my head a couple of days on… Look out for more from this top quality quartet in 2024. Outstanding.
I’m not sure what I can say about Brenda that I haven’t said before. I adore this trio. Everything about them is to die for. They aren’t so much a band, more a single entity, one mind in three bodies. They are Brenda. You can’t have Brenda without an Apsi, a Litty or a Flore. Without one of these essential components they are nothing, they become nameless, they become soulless. At their beating heart is a complex relationship of edibles and music… no-one else does, or can do what Brenda do. They’ve got the tunes, they’re got the hooks they’ve got the personality, they’ve got the self deprecation. We would have got Whore Song, but Litty couldn’t find the right synth sound. Did it matter? Did it fuck! Brenda killed it. And if you didn’t like it, Apsi would have donned her shades and taken you out anyway. When you’ve got songs like Microscopic Babe, and the controversy ridden – I jest (“this is about palliative care”) So Long, how can you lose. Just in case there was any confusion. I fucking love Brenda.
Talking of bands I love. Band of the year, Water Machine were still to come. Jimmy, Hando, Flore and Nicky, I salute you. You make an old man very happy, and many younger men, women and non binary individuals come to that. When you get to a certain age, you maybe think you’ve seen all the new bands you need to see, fuck that shit. Even when you have a conversation with someone, I mention no names Alice, who you discover (even though you knew it really) are literally (that fucking word I hate), half your age, it matters not a jot. You are never too old to discover a new band, as 2023 has proved. Water Machine are an inclusive band in every way you could imagine. Age is no object, this is a band that will capture the imagination of everyone, just open your ears and your mind and let them in, you can never get enough Water.
It’s hard to keep up with this whirling dervish of a band. Playing gig after gig this year, before plying their wares south of the border and returning to record their debut album (all bets are off for album of the year 2024) and returning to treat a loyal following to this very special night as the year draws to a close. This band is something very special. And tonight’s set just cements that opinion. It is fun, it’s a celebration, it shows a band on the upwards trajectory, it is a display of a band who are utterly engaged with their art, utterly engaged with their audience. A band who are loving life and loving playing music. Hando entirely engages with their crowd, has them eating out of the palm of their hand. Flore moves from her synth role in Brenda to bass and exudes charm and effortless cool. Nicky is the king of cowbell and oh so much more, while Jimmy is an axe god, giving off vibes from McGeoch to Slash, Cuomo to Pastel. I love the new songs already! From that moment all those months ago when I heard Hot Real Estate for the first time I couldn’t resist, now new songs have my head swirling from Sixties beat pop to the Beach Boys and I’m just loving and living every note, there is nothing this band cannot do and there is nothing I wouldn’t do for this band. 2024 is there for the taking. If you’re reading this and still haven’t sampled the Water (Machine). WTF? Do I even know you? Why are you here?
As if that wasn’t enough, this coming Friday I get to do it all again, with the incredible Scorpio Leisure, another tip for the top on 2024. (Oh aye, and there are some other wee bands playing, you know The Scars, Boots For Dancing and Port Sulphur.)
Isn’t music fucking wonderful!? Life without a soundtrack isn’t life.