The second “grown ups” gig of the week, this time in the impressive surroundings of the GUU Debating Chamber, a first for me, and the third in a triumvirate of gigs featuring the classy trio of Sister John, The Cowboy Mouth and, celebrating the release of the astounding new album Sirenesque, The Bathers.
This time the turn of kicking off what was to be a very special night indeed was down to the multi-talented Sister John, who never fail to impress. Tonight was no different as they treated the gathered throng of music fans to their unique brand of laidback folky rock that takes in all the best bits of the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Velvet Underground, and everything in between, some 60s psychedelia, some tasty Neil Young riffs… As usual I was mesmerised throughout, the soothing effect of their music creating an overall feeling of well-being, especially on Over Again washing away the stresses of the working week.
Next up it was the turn of The Cowboy Mouth, with stalwarts of the Glasgow music scene the bequiffed pair of Grahame Skinner and Douglas McIntyre, who was resplendent in shades and held his guitar as if he was going to take someone out mafioso style. Despite being a huge fan of Hipsway, The Jazzateers and Witness, the music of The Cowboy Mouth had largely passed me by. Skinners smooth brogue is like a warm hug, as they played a variety of new songs. Towards the end of the set, the band really brought their “A” game with their penultimate song giving off a Postcard jangle/disco funk tinged vibe and they raised the tempo again with their closing sub-delta blues rocker.
Finally, it was the turn of Chris Thomson’s legendary Glasgow band The Bathers, celebrating the release of their first album in many years, the sublime Album of the Year contender, Sirenesque. I’m not sure what I can say about this band that I haven’t before. I don’t think they’ve created enough superlatives in the English language to describe how Chris voice and the band’s music makes me feel. Ultimately listening to this band live increases the impact tenfold, any emotions I feel listening to them on record is magnified in the live arena. A Bathers gig is an emotional rollercoaster. The elation felt from seeing them play once again mixes with melancholy, joy with a sense of wistful longing. I had real tears in my eyes on more than one occasion. The quartet kicked off with Unusual Places to Drive and played a first half set packed with Bathers classics and crowd pleasers including The Belle Sisters and a sublime rendition of The Angel on Ruskin. Chris Thomson’s voice alone is enough to send shudders though your body, when you combine that with Hazel Morrison’s angelic other worldly voice it is the recipe to melt the hardest of hearts. Add the strings on the songs from the new album and they stand shoulder to shoulder with the older songs, Garlands already set to be a Bathers classic and almost reducing me to a blubbering puddle. While title track Sirenesque is another that will go down in the annals as an epic behemoth of a tune.
My aging bladder meant I had to have a quick run to the loo where I was to almost literally (there’s that word I hate again) bump into one of my musical heroes (stand up James Grant) to then realise that he, Paul McGeechan and Chris Thomson were all in the same building…
The reunion that we could only have dreamt of then unfolded before our eyes and ears as the trio reunited to play the Friends Again classic, State of Art. My heart was now almost beating out of my chest. Three bands that are so important to me, and I’m sure many others, Friends Again, Love and Money and The Bathers, the geniuses behind them together again. But there was more to come. All my Christmases were to come at once when they followed that with Perpetual Adoration, Grant and Thomson coming together in perfect harmony. What followed nearly blew my tiny mind, and the roof off the venue, as Sister John and The Cowboy Mouth returned to the stage for an outstandingly rousing version of Honey at the Core. My moon boots can chafe all they want, I was in seventh heaven and was walking on air. I thought I’d seen potentially gig of the year on Monday at Young Fathers, but for so many reasons, The Bathers may just have outshone them.
As my best mate and I bathed in the glory of The Bathers set, it became much more than a gig, this was Friends Again for real as he was reacquainted with his old school friends Paul and Chris to round off what was a very special night.
Kudos to all three bands and a special mention to Ian and Julia for all that Last Night From Glasgow do to ensure nights like this continue to happen taking me back to my youthful memories and helping to make lasting memories to take me into my dotage.