Go on holiday and have a break from gigs? Not likely! But this blog isn’t your average gig review… more a recognition of how music has no borders, and of the power music and social media has in bringing people together who may not have done so otherwise…
This whole experience was part of the first full day of our dream trip to NYC, and helped to make this trip, which we’ve waited for and anticipated with thinly veiled excitement for so long, one that we’ll never forget. In the hours before the gig (not gig) we’d enjoyed cocktails in the salubrious surroundings of the historic Campbell Bar in Grand Central Station, after a long day of traipsing around doing loads of touristy things like the thoroughly enjoyable “The Ride”, an interactive bus tour around Lower Manhattan with actors performing at various points on the streets along the way, and visiting…. Target of all places… to stock up on painkillers.
GIFTSHOP was first introduced to me by Tarbeach Records, run by Walter Stewart, an Airdrie émigré, when the label released a blue vinyl single featuring the songs Despicable and Doncha Know. I enjoyed these songs so much I sought out and downloaded their entire back catalogue and have been a fully fledged fan, ever since. Well, maybe not fully fledged, I hadn’t experienced the band in their full live glory, apart from staying up until the wee small hours in Scotland during the dreaded global pandemic to watch a live streamed gig all the way from New York.
After first having our plans to come to New York scuppered five years ago, and then in between times COVID and lots of the shit life throws at you happening finally being here feels like the happiest we’ve been in years… I’d wanted to see if while we were here we could fit in a GIFTSHOP gig, but our planning couldn’t have been worse, the band playing the week before we arrived and then again the night we fly home, maybe my live GIFTSHOP cherry would still not be popped and I’d have to hold out for a turn visit to the Big Apple at some point. However, to my great joy, the band and their manager Nicole invited us along with a select few others to their rehearsal space in Brooklyn to finally meet them in the flesh and catch them playing as they rehearsed for their gig at Alewife on the 13th. Not only was it a joy, it was humbling that, knowing we wouldn’t be around to make it to a gig “proper” that they made this awesome gesture to allow us, not just to finally meet in person, but also to hear the band play live despite missing the official live dates.
We had been quite pleased about how we’d navigated the Subway on that first day, having jumped on the Airtrain at JFK the night before and purchased our Omny cards for the week on the way to Bowery, but it was a case of pride coming before a fall as, despite jumping on and off the Subway all day, on the way to Brooklyn we jumped on the wrong train, then when trying to fix our error got on another train taking us even further from where we were meant to be…
Not the most illustrious of starts to our first meeting with people I’ve only ever interacted with online, but when we finally rocked up, we were welcomed like long lost friends, anyone that knows me would probably be aware that my social anxiety was at critical levels on the way to the rehearsal space, but we were made to feel so welcome that any self doubt, and guilt at being late, dissipated quickly as we were welcomed into the fold. And it wasn’t just a turn up and watch them play, we were treated to a proper Brooklyn welcome with authentic Brooklyn pizza, wine, beer… the works!
In recent years, I’ve become a big fan of small, intimate gigs, I now go to more of them by far than any big venue events or stadium gigs, however, this was probably the most intimate ever… getting to say hello to everyone in attendance.
I don’t want to create too many spoilers for anyone going to the Alewife gig, suffice to say, you’re in for a treat, which isn’t really news for anyone who is a fan of the band, having lived a GIFTSHOP gig life vicariously through social media videos of gigs past and seeing the band throw everything into their performances creating an ecstatic reaction form the crowd. I’m not sure if you’ll get to experiences what we did though, with the aforementioned Walt from Tarbeach assisting on vocal duties on a sublime cover of the Pixies classic Where is My Mind.
The quartet ran through a lively and spirited set of GIFTSHOP stone cold classics from across their back catalogue, with two of my favourites being the paean to the community, bonds and friendships created by bands and their fans that is Astoria – as song which really which felt apt in the circumstances, and their celebration of my two favourite holidays the Cramps-like garage/rockabilly rock of Spooky Halloween Christmas, with Meghan changing the lyrics slightly if I’m not wrong. While a request from Walt meant the foursome did an unplanned detour through the wonderful Doncha Know, another personal favourite of mine.
What a wonderful way to spend a few hours of our holiday and to finally meet some amazing folks along the way, and who knew there would be a cross Atlantic appreciation of the Great British Bake Off!
I’ve well and truly got the New York bug. Hopefully it won’t take so long to come back…
Thanks for coming, we loved hosting you!!