Witnessing Water Machine again came at the end of a week that began with Westminster making an attempt to block the Gender Recognition Reform Bill recently passed by the Scottish Parliament, resulting in loads of Karen’s coming out of the woodwork to express their outrage, literally. I heard a debate on the radio where an atypical Daily Mail reader, called Karen, I shit you not, was having apoplexy live on air, but could not back up the reason for her anger with anything remotely resembling coherent thoughts. The week ended in a show of support for the trans community with a protest at the Concert Hall steps on Buchanan Street against using trans rights as a political football. Trans rights are human rights. The people opposing this bill are the same ones that would have been outraged when segregation between black and white was removed and slavery abolished. There is an utter lack of understanding regarding what this bill aims to achieve and what it means to be trans in the 21st century. My support is fully behind the trans community.
It seems only fitting then that my week came to a close with another outstanding gig featuring the inimitable Water Machine, whose effusive, electrically charged and unabashed frontperson Hando basically told anyone who wasn’t in support of trans rights to fuck of, this band is is not for them!
Water Machine were playing the first of two gigs of the evening, this one sandwiched between what could be described as Glasgow music scene “supergroup”, Former Champ, and headliners The Cool Greenhouse.
The latter band, The Cool Greenhouse was entirely a new name on me. As a result I was unsure what to expect as I hadn’t even had an opportunity to listen to any of their material beforehand. It was therefore a pleasant surprise when they kicked into gear with a sound that wasn’t a million miles away from the wonderful Blue Aeroplanes, mixed with the funky pop sensibilities of Friendly Fires and a bit of the eccentricity of The Stairs, I was mightily impressed and glad to have made their acquaintance.
The evening had already started in charmingly laidback style with Former Champ, a veritable supergroup of the Glasgow music scene featuring members of Martha Ffion, Savage Mansion, Catholic Action and Secret Motorbikes entertaining with their luxurious brand of guitar driven indie pop. From the off their driving guitar led rhythms and with lead singer Claire displaying a seemingly effortless cool as she delivered her dreamy, sublimely celestial vocal, had me hooked, mesmerised throughout by their all too short set.
This was second time I’d seen Water Machine in as many weeks, the band brought the party once again as I would have expected. This idiosyncratic bunch of four unique individuals has really started catching imaginations and grabbing attention with their no fucking around attitude towards playing and writing. Taking their inspiration from the everyday (the mundanity of taking the bus, , and turning those observations into uniquely undefinable, often quirky songs, but most importantly always fun and addictively engaging. Hando bringing an ebullient animated pep and dynamism with their performances, taking in synth, vocals and violin, Flore’s bass pulsating and intense while she also provides her own self effacing line in witty banter, Goda proving the backbeat, a natty line in cowbells and the inspiration for one of the bands big singalong tunes (Waiting for Goda) while Jimmy leads the charge on guitar and displaying influences from across the decades, from laid back jangle pop, coming across like the Damned with some first wave of punk riffing to slacker rock and elements of Afrobeat just for good measure, with Hando’s love of all things At The Drive In influencing one of their newest songs called, you guessed it, At the Drive In.
There was an overwhelming feeling of joy overtaking my emotions as I watched the band with a Cheshire Cat sized grin spread across my aging features throughout and making me (almost) forget my advancing years. The band have an innate ability to spread happiness around the room engaging the crowd in singalongs in the form of the aforementioned Waiting for Goda and finishing with a bang on the song that first grabbed my attention, Hot Real Estate, before they left the stage for the first time that night, returning to the Stereo stage after midnight for the Viagra Boys, who were playing Barrowland earlier, after show. I was to be home and tucked up in bed before that second performance.
I’m hoping for great things this year for Water Machine, they’ve certainly brought some light to the dark days of January.
Water Machine – Former Champ – The Cool Greenhouse