The Fabulous Courettes – Live in McChuills

There is no reason to go to another gig this year.

There is no reason to go to another gig ever again.

I jest of course.

You can never get enough live music, but can it get better than The Fabulous Courettes in Glasgow’s McChuills tonight?

This band is the essence of what a live gig should be all about. If you could bottle the vital energy, positivity and a sheer vibe of pure unadulterated joy that permeated the atmosphere in this intimate venue tonight, you’ve got the way to world peace… ok, maybe the natural pheromones in my brain are still in overdrive, but at least for a couple of hours tonight, I and I’m sure a room full of people in a small corner of Glasgow felt invincible. It was like a coming together of a common steam of consciousness, a wave of euphoria that filled the minds and bodies of the congregated throng with an overwhelming feeling that nothing bad could happen, even just for a short moment in time.

McChuills is one of the best small venues I’ve ever had the pleasure of frequenting, when you combine the intimate surroundings with a band who tick every single box in terms of live performance, you cannot fail. Despite issues with monitors onstage, and performing in near darkness at one point, the gig was an absolute triumph. Hell, talking to Martin after the gig, if anything the sound problems he was having onstage made him increase his performance levels several notches. If there is a more effervescent and dynamic gig this year, or next, fuck it, if there ever is, I want to be there to witness it. My Cheshire Cat sized grin may still be on my face… it’s gonna take some bad shit happening to wipe that off anytime soon. I may also have shed half my body weight in perspiration…I could do with a bit more of that…

I mean, when I saw them last year in Mono, I though all my Christmases had come at once. Tonight add all my birthdays to that list. Everything came together in a perfect storm tonight. A Saturday night, a perfect venue, a crowd of familiar faces and a superb support band in Big Russ Wilkins and Lightin’ Hollins who got the crowd going enough that they were simmering just below boiling point, just waiting for The Courettes to bring things to a blisteringly explosive climax.

Martin choreographed the crowd perfectly from his drum seat while creating a thunderously sonorous racket, while Flavia attacked her guitar with such a furious unabashed fervour and delivered her vocals in a way that was truly a professional performance, one on which she had the crowd hypnotised, eating out of the palm of her and and willing to fall at her feet, quite literally, doing what she commanded, despite old creaking bones screaming in defiance. An epic Boom! Dynamite including conducted singalongs, forays into the crowd and a clambering onto monitors and picking off individuals sniper style with her guitar. Last year saw an impromptu handing over of her guitar to an unsuspecting Dee Dee, there with the rest of her glam influenced band, Electric Wytch. This year she took to the stage again at Flavia’s prompting and treated us to a snippet of Be My Baby.

Martin and Flavia announced from the stage, that they’d see us again next year, I’m counting the days already, but I’ll need to go into training now. If they increase the energy levels in the same way as they did between this and when I saw them last… well… I’m not sure my old body can take it. But by God (or any other fictional being you may choose) will I be there. Just try to stop me…

Of course, Martin and Flavia were, once again, gracious and welcoming at the merch desk after the show. No airs and graces or an exaggerated sense of arrogance that you can experience with some bands, purely and simply lovely people as much as they are immensely talented performers. If you get an opportunity to witness this phenomenon in person, jump at the chance, grab it with both hands and don’t let go. Don’t let yourself reach that moment in life when you look back at everything you’ve done and you hear that voice in your head saying “if only I hadn’t missed seeing The Utterly Fabulous Courettes.”

The Courettes