All photos courtesy of Chris Hogge Photography Chris Hogge (@chrishoggephotography) • Instagram photos and videos
What a start to the gig year this has been. Already having been entertained by some of the country’s best rising talents in January, my February gigs dawned with a double header from two bands featuring legends of the Scottish alt music scene. Fire Engines, Win, Boots for Dancing and Gin Goblins amongst the bands featuing members of Scorpio Leisure while headliners The Filthy Tongues of course featuring the well-kent inimitable trio of Metcalfe, Kelly and Fin of Goodbye Mr MacKenzie fame, now more than embedding themselves in the story of Scottish music with these songs revealing their even darker more foreboding side… because of course Goodbye Mr MacKenzie songs were all bunny rabbits and flowers weren’t they…?
Anyway, before the the appearance of the Tongues it was the turn of what I can only continue to describe as one of Scotland’s most exciting prospects, the shining stars and legends in the offing, Scorpio Leisure. I’ve been pretty much addicted to this band since they started sharing snippets of songs on Instagram, with bassist Coco feeding this addiction, consistently tempting me with new offerings. The songs themselves are compellingly hypnotic, but seeing them performed and hearing these songs live as I have done now on numerous occasions since that first introduction has sealed the deal. Such was my sense of anticipation for this latest gig, I almost felt a pang of jealousy at those experiencing the band for the first time when they took to the Oran Mor stage, and hopefully going away from this gig with the same sense of euphoria as I did on my first witnessing of the band. What am I saying? The sense of euphoria I feel after EVERY time I’ve seen this band. What unfolded in front of me was probably the most accomplished set I’ve seen and heard the band play to date.
With Coco taking to the stage first, the anticipation builds. His mind blowing bass lines never miss, creating a thunderous throb like a steady laidback heartbeat throughout the venue. The core line-up of the band is completed by Fire Engines/Win legend Rusty on drum machine, with young guitar slinger Mungo slaying on guitar, and the captivatingly enigmatic Hettie on vocals. Seemingly the band had been plagued with sound issues in Edinburgh the night before. Maybe that was partly an incentive for this gig, or maybe it’s just because they’re shit hot, but this performance was off the scale. The sound was crisp and clear, Mungo’s searing guitar lines sliced through the air, like Exocet missiles, ringing around the venue, as Coco’s rumbling bass reverberated through the floor shaking both the foundations and my very being. The set list was of perfect design, kicking off with the songs those already acquainted with the band have grown to love, the hypnotic repeated refrain in opening song Come Back (Keep on Trying) followed by the accomplished late night groove of Driving, before Running on the Spot and the seemingly effortless cool displayed by the quartet on the laidback reggae dance groove of Give Us Some Space.
An incendiary Parasite followed before the closing trio of superb newer songs hit like a punch to the gut, Apology whetting the appetite for the upcoming new EP of the same name, what followed saw a direct and unapologetic Hettie not mincing her words or leaving much to the imagination as she turned the air blue on the risqué Sweet Harmony before closing the set, complete with disintegrating maracas (not a euphemism) with another of their superb new songs, The Rain. As if I didn’t already know, 2024 is Scorpio Leisure’s for the taking with the Apology EP and self titled album both coming on Last Night From Glasgow this year, there is no reason for anyone not to sample the delights of this very special band. If you get the chance to see them live, which I hope there will be many more this year, don’t miss any opportunity you get to see them.
Talking of very special bands, we need to talk about The Filthy Tongues. There must have been something in the air on this hideously dreich Glasgow Sunday night in February. The atmosphere already electrically charged from the appearance of Scorpio Leisure, The Filthy Tongues taking to the stage was enough to send pulsating bursts of energy out through the venue, that crackling atmospheric energy creating an explosive undercurrent that grumbled threateningly though Underground City and In These Dark Places before fulminating in the protestations of Gas Mask Blues. We had the latest named storm going off within the confines of Oran Mor, and its name was The Filthy Tongues. After the sinister tale of Sawney Bean that is Come on Home came a triumvirate of songs that took the low roof off the venue, the gargantuan scale of the behemoth that is Kingdom of Ice was quite simply epic, its gothic strains sending swathes of dark energy around the venue, as if that wasn’t enough, to follow that with the sweepingly majestic It’s Gonna Wash and the sinister undertones of Bowhead Saint blew my tiny mind.
The planets were aligning to make this a classic Tongues gig, all five members of the band, let’s not forget percussionist Asim Rasool and on guitar/keys, Alex Shedlock, combining to create that perfect storm. Holy Brothers was breath-taking in its emotive charm, while Crew Cut was a mindfuck of buzzing punk rock attitude and vitality before they brought the set to a close with the singalong chorus (“What the Fuck”) of the climactically intoxicating and tensely charged Tricky Nicky. The night was far from over though… Martin and Co. were joined onstage by Scorpio Leisure’s vocalist extraordinaire Hettie for a double whammy of Mummy Can’t Drive and the colossal sound of the wonderful title track of the first of their impressive trilogy of album’s Jacob’s Ladder, this was an exceptional close to an immense night of music to live long in the memory.
Last Night from Glasgow – Scorpio Leisure – The Filthy Tongues