I know there is a lot of reportage about the death and closure of music venues which is to be applauded as we need to focus on keeping live music … well, live. But before I write anything else, I would urge the bulldozing of the O2 Academy. Whichever bunch of bandits/construction company was given the go ahead to torch the ABC as part of the ongoing destruction of Sauchiehall Street should be hung drawn and quartered, along with anyone who decided a mobile phone company should run music venues. When was the last time you heard anything good about an O2 run venue? Hey, maybe that’s why the sound today sounded like someone had just turned the volume up full on their phone while it was still in their pocket, I don’t know, but this wasn’t a celebration of music, it was a destruction of a vibe. Yes, it was a good day out with friends, but it was ultimately soundtracked by some hard to hear bands in a cavernous, soulless shitehole of a venue.
I mean, before we even got in I was struck by the over zealous security, the guy I was searched by happy to have me put my wallet chains in my pocket before the incel head of security decided otherwise. Because of course my intention today wasn’t to have a good day out with friends and enjoy some music, it was to strangle someone with my wallet.
I admit there was some movement within the realms of the “Calling” festivals, with some new blood being injected. Though the irony of the absence of Scottish bands on a day called Scotland Calling wasn’t lost on me.
Despite that, the attempt to vary the punk genres was noted with the Clash posturing pop punk of Cyanide Pills, the welcome injection of boisterousness in Riskee and the Ridicule, the high octane trombone fuelled ska punk of Random Hand and the earnest passion of the excellent Bar Stool Preachers was to be applauded, but from then on things rapidly went downhill. Even with this youthful injection of new(ish) energy, the muddied sound of this cavernous venue spoiled the enjoyment of the music, or the bits you could hear anyway.
Yes, I was looking forward to Spear of Destiny and while I enjoyed their set I was fortunate if I heard 25% of Brandon’s vocals. Opening with a subdued Liberator dulled by a sleeping sound engineer spoiled things from the off and things never really recovered. The less said about GBH and the truly awful comedy punk of ANWL the better. You know that adage about a chimpanzee and a typewriter… fuck me a slug and a typewriter could write better tunes than that pish. Cue much hate…
Don’t get me wrong I wasn’t miserable all day… despite impressions I did actually have a good day. Hey, Uncle Charlie and Co never fail to entertain and it seems that sitting in the seats with the rest of the auld folk is where the sound is at it’s best, a fact attested to by the Cockney Rejects effervescent set, with Olga shining on guitar.
Cue the last band of the day and before I go any further I have to say I love the Undertones. I had to say that before the next bit. They weren’t headliners. A half hour set of the hits earlier in the day. That would have been magic (if you could have heard them properly). But after an hour the venue was nearly empty, to be fair I have to say it was at best half full all day, but they along with shite sound really killed any vibe that was there. I also don’t get playing your big hit halfway through a set when you’re at a festival tule event, you’ve just lost half the crowd that don’t know the rest of your material…
Amyway? I had a good day out with friends today, I bumped into loads of other friends too, and had a laugh with them, but as an event, Scotland Calling? Nah, no-one is answering, the reception is poor, change providers now or it’s going to die on its arse. Today I witnessed a corpse in its final throes of life… there was life there but it needs an injection of adrenaline or a shock to the system to bring it back to life.
I saw a bit of the popes funeral earlier on, but I may have witnessed the slow onset of the death of punk tonight…
I saw a lot of people on FB complaining about the sound quality. I wasn’t there but have witnessed the poor sound in the o2 many times before. There were far better choices to be made in Glasgow to host this event. Maybe not the death of punk though possibly the end years of some of the original / second wave bands. Plenty still happening in the smaller venues.