The Waterboys @ The Barrowland, Glasgow. Tuesday 10 December 2013.

Ah, the famous Barrowland in Glasgow's East End! Whilst I first visited this venerable 'old lady' back in 1977 this was my first gig since I started my blog and I am surprised that it has taken almost a year to come around.

The original building on the site was opened in 1934 in the "Barras" street market area of Glasgow and it is from this that the former ballroom got its name. However, the building was largely destroyed by fire in 1958 (the year of my birth), leading to a complete rebuild and the new ballroom opened on Christmas Eve 1960. Perhaps it was most famous for a time as the place where the murderer 'Bible John' met his victims. However, fortunately, things have moved on.

Although it is modest in size (around 2,100 people) the Barrowlands has become a particular favourite of many noted rock/pop acts and it punches above its weight in attracting top-name performers. It has been voted the best music venue in the UK in a poll of British bands, and in another survey amongst bands, was voted second best venue in the world!

So on this mild December night I toddled along to see The Waterboys on their 25th anniversary tour of  their album Fisherman's Blues. Was it really released in 1988, has it really been 25 years?! 

Having got through the airport style security, a body search and two ticket checks I made it into the famous old hall with its curved ceiling and sprung floor. A sight to gladden many a music fans eyes and ears! Armed with a pint of 'Belhaven Best' (in a plastic container) I made my way to the front of the sparse crowd to catch the support act, one Freddie Stevenson, a thirty three year old from Edinburgh via England. Freddie came on to the stage at about 19:40 along with Joe Chester (a Richard O'Brien look-a-like who played lead guitar with the Waterboys between 2009 - 2011) and they performed a handful of Freddie's songs on acoustic guitars. As is often the case (I am ashamed to say) this was another support act with whom I was not acquainted. However, Freddie has 4 albums and an EP to his name and he played and sang in a clear distinct style. Also, again as is often the case and for reasons of economy, the sound one hears at the gig is very different to the recorded versions. That is not to say that the stripped down acoustic versions were in any way less than their 'full blown' album versions. Indeed, I really enjoyed Freddie's distinct voice which was clear and melodious. The lyrics were easy to hear which was a plus given that his songs are full of imagery and the melody was catchy. I particularly enjoyed I Cried When I Was Born, Sweet Revenge and The City Is King which he magnanimously dedicated to Glasgow. I would also like to mention the tone and quality of Joe's guitar playing which added a great deal to the overall sound.

Catch Freddie Stevenson singing I Cried When I Was Born here....

During the break we were treated to some 'karaoke' style music over the PA, by that I mean the music was played but not the vocal track and I detected Hank Williams, The Rolling Stones and some Ed Allyne Johnson, all fine stuff!

And so to the main event.............

Just after 21:00 Mike Scott lead out the current incarnation of the band in the form of  Steve Wickham (electric fiddle, vocals), Anthony Thistlethwaite (sax, mandolin, harmonica), Trevor Hutchinson (bass) and Ralph Salmins (drums). I knew that the 'Waterboys' were a fluid bunch and that over the years since their inception in 1983 there had been several line up changes. However, I was somewhat surprised to learn that over the intervening years there have been about 65 band members inducing some notable folk. For example: Joe Chester (as mentioned above); Guy Chambers (producer and co-author of Robbie Williams' Angels) played piano from 1985–86; Eddi Reader sang backing vocals in 1984; Ian McNabb (leader of Icicle Works) played keyboards & bass in 2001-02, and Sharon Shannon (Ireland's all-time best-selling traditional musician) played accordion & fiddle in 1989–90 & 2004.

The first song 'out the traps' was Strange Boat, written by Scott & Thistlethwaite (track three off the original Fisherman's Blues album) and this set the show on the road. Over the next eighteen songs we were to hear some wonderful old favourites played live by a bunch of extremely talented musicians. Mike Scott played guitar (both acoustic and electric) and also piano/organ and his singing was strong and so evocative of our, or at least my, youth! He was set between Steve Wickham and Anthony Thistlethwaite both of whom contributed greatly to the thrill of the evening on their respective instruments and their intensity and talent was a joy to behold. Indeed Steve's violin work is such a hallmark of the Waterboys sound from that era. At the back, as is often the case, we had Ralph Salmins and 'Ireland's most handsome man' (according to Scott) Trevor Hutchinson, who kept the beat moving along with an energy that belied their years!

Steve Wickham, Mike Scott and Anthony Thistlethwaite

Stand out songs for me were A Girl Called Johnny (great organ solo by Mr Scott); When Ye Go Away (superb mandolin solo); We Will Not Be Lovers (solid drumming); On My Way To Heaven (Scottish / Irish Gospel!);  The Whole Of The Moon (wonderful saxophone solo) and And A Bang On The Ear - all nine minutes of it!

"It started up in Fife and ended up in tears"

Steve Wickham

At one point Mike Scott, who was born and raised in Edinburgh, introduced a new song (for me anyway) called Tenderfootin' which he explained came out of the sessions which finally produced the original Fisherman's Blues album. He also pointed out that the song is included on the 6 CD box set called Fisherman's Box! A little later on the band played Be My Enemy which included a wonderful extended musical passage as each band member took up the theme and rocked out. It certainly loosened the audience up just before slowing things down a tad with a mellow version of Don't Bang The Drum from the This Is The Sea album during which Trevor Hutchinson and Ralph Salmins went back stage for a breather no doubt.

Then on about the hour mark, the band left us after a grand rendition of Fisherman's Blues and the audience went wild, the volume of adulation and encouragement to return was staggering and so the band returned to play a couple of songs before leaving again. This time the volume was ratcheted up several more notches. Up to eleven in This Is Spinal Tap parlance! Mike Scott seemed genuinely delighted to return for a second encore and he clearly has a love for the Barrowlands having played here on at least eight previous occasions (Anthony trumped him as he reckoned that he has played here somewhere between 30 & 40 times!). Having quietened us down he and Anthony Thistlethwaite commenced How Long Will I Love You? only to stop after a minute or so. Something wasn't quite as it ought to be and Mike Scott apologised saying that we should just pretend that we were all in a recording studio. Indeed, in a sense we were as he went on to explain that the show was being recorded to go out over the festive period on Radio Scotland.

And A Bang On The Ear

The rest of the band along with Freddie Stevenson & Joe Chester then returned to the stage and performed a wonderful nine minute version of the peerless And A Bang On The Ear. Then finally Mike Scott launched into a chant of Barowlands, Barrowlands, Barrowlands etc., etc. and we all joined in in celebration of another wonderful musical occasion in a fabulous venue. As we trooped out at about 22:30 I had a ringing sensation in my head which I realised was the result of a pleasant and much appreciated bang on the ear!

Farewell.....and Good Night.

Listen to the original Fisherman's Blues here.....

Here is a link to a few other photos I took on the night.....

Set List

21:00

Strange Boat
Higherbound
A Girl Called Johnny
When Ye Go Away
Girl From The North Country (Bob Dylan cover)
Tenderfootin'
When Will We Be Married?

The Raggle Taggle Gypsy
We Will Not Be Lovers
Be My Enemy
Don't Bang The Drum
Sweet Thing (Van Morrison cover)
On My Way To Heaven
Fisherman's Blues
22:00

Steve's Germanic Gig
The Whole Of The Moon
22:07

How Long Will I Love You?
Bang On The Ear 

22:30