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The Hydro, Glasgow
Next up on my musical journey through 2013 was a great 'double bill' at the recently opened Hydro in Glasgow's Finnieston area. I am not sure if this is a 'feature' of this venue but my first visit was to see the Proclaimers and their support was Roddy Hart & the Lonesome Fire and Glasvegas. Now supporting Vampire Weekend we have Noah and the Whale, who have four albums to their name already, so not a shabby support, eh!
One of the problems with this idea of having a 'named' support act is that many folk still only want to see the headlining band (despite current ticket prices!) and so as we took our seats at about 19:25 the place was only about 30% full. However, it was still a pretty good crowd as the venue holds 13,000 when 'packed to the rafters' so there were maybe about 2,000 folk there to enjoy NATW. One of the songs played over the in-house sound system prior to the band taking to the stage was Richard Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra / 2001 Space Odyssey opening theme which seemed very fitting for this futuristic venue!
The current incarnation of this English band from Twickenham, London consists of Charlie Fink (vocals/guitar), Tom Hobden (violin/keyboards), Matt Owens (bass guitar), Fred Abbott (guitar/keyboards), and Michael Petulla (drums). Having formed in 2006 the band have evolved along the way and the loss of several former members including their erstwhile backing singer, one Laura Marling in 2008, hasn't effected them. On the night, and perhaps due to the space taken up by Vampire Weekend's equipment on stage, NATW seemed rather dwarfed, corralled together as they were in the middle! However, that didn't affect their performance which was solid and assured even if they did seem somewhat in awe of the fact that they were supporting "the best New York band of the day" as Charlie said at one point just before launching into a great version of Lou Reed's Satellite Of Love.
One thing I found rather odd was seeing people taking to their seats with hot dogs and pizza boxes. I know that this is a common sight in other countries around the world but here in Glasgow a pint of lager was all we used to need to sustain us through a gig! Modern venue, modern habits! Meanwhile up on stage Noah and the Whale were working their way through some of their back catalogue which included some fine versions of Waiting For My Time To Come, L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N, 2 Atoms In A Molecule, Rocks And Daggers, Love Of An Orchestra and 5 Years Time. During this set Charlie's singing was strong and resonant whilst he swapped between acoustic and electric guitars and Fred Abbott variously played keyboards and electric guitar to great effect. In addition, Tom's violin playing was a real asset and I particularly liked his work on Love Of An Orchestra and 5 Years Time and all the while Matt and Michael provide a great solid foundation on drum and bass. The sound from where we were sitting was very good considering the size of the hall, however, due to the number of vacant seats I did feel slightly out of it, like a passer by looking in a window at a party going on inside! However, that didn't spoil my enjoyment of Noah and the Whale's performance which ended on a high note with some wonderful guitar and violin interplay on 5 Years Time which built to a memorable crescendo that put me in mind of the way Dawes work up some of their songs. Their 45 minute set was well received and the band set us up nicely for Vampire Weekend. Cheers lads.
During the break we had some interesting songs on the sound system including A Horse With No Name by America from way back in 1972. 41 years is no time at all in the world of music, or so it seems!
By 20:45 the hall was as full as it was going to be. We were told on our way in that the show was not a sell out which surprised and disappointed me as these two bands are up there with some of the best I have seen this year. No accounting for taste! However, by the time Vampire Weekend appeared at 20:50 I would guess that there were some 7-8,000 of us champing at the bit to see one of New York's current best bands. And so with a flourish and a major instant set change (ornately capped half doric columns, a baroque 'mirror' and 'Grecian urns' dropped from the heavens) Vampire Weekend ploughed into Diane Young the fourth song from their third album and a rollickin' number to kick start the set.
These four young lads started out with this band in 2006 and they are Ezra Koenig (lead singer / guitar), Rostam Batmanglij (guitar / keyboards / backing vocals), Chris Thomas (drums / percussion) and Chris Baio (bass / backing vocals). Their sound has been variously described as indie rock / Soweto rock / baroque pop and afrobeat, but however you define it, it is a thrilling sound and a pretty unique fusion of American rock and African rhythms. The guitar sounds are particularly set towards the guitar playing style of many bands I heard growing up in Dar-es-salaam in East Africa (which wonderfully gets a name check in Step!)
Talking of lyrics, Vampire Weekend's tend to be on the obscure side as the first verse of Step indicates:
Every time I see you in the world, you always step to my girl
Back back way back I used to front like Angkor Wat
Mechanicsburg Anchorage and Dar es Salaam
While home in New York was champagne and disco
Tapes from L.A. slash San Francisco
But actually Oakland and not Alameda
Your girl was in Berkeley with her Communist reader
Mine was entombed within boombox and walkman
I was a hoarder but girl that was back then.
There was an unexpected 'hick-up' as the band set off into Step, their sixth song of the night, when after about a minute Ezra stopped the band and explained that there had been a "false start" he then proceeded to correct the problem. During the short hiatus a small but enthusiastic group of fans in front of the stage started singing a line from the Glasvegas song Go Square Go (which seeing as they were on stage the last time I was in the Hydro seemed oddly appropriate!) the line went:
"Here we, here we, here we f**ing go (repeat!)" and the band realised that they were back in Glasgow again!
Ezra Koenig sang the lyrics with a great powerful delivery throughout although the words were sometimes difficult to make out but that didn't detract from the show as the voice is often another instrument in the mix! I particularly enjoyed his singing on Obvious Bicycle just before the encore. Rostam Batmanglij (who seemed to have donned a Saltire t shirt below his over shirt) played some wonderful keyboard especially on the Hammond organ on Unbelievers, there was some fine tinkling of the ivories on Horchata, superb soaring notes on Step and some outstanding organ on Boston (Ladies of Cambridge). Chris Thomas also added some pulsating, pounding drumming on the likes of Horchata and Diane Young and Chris Baio kept a tight reign on the bass lines with some notable work on the introduction to and throughout Campus. Oh, and neat dancing Chris, neat!
These guys have formed a cohesive, tight unit over their seven years together and clearly enjoy playing their uncommon blend of modern music. It was certainly a joy to watch and listen to. I say "watch" because the band had put a good deal of consideration into their stage set and light show. There was always a fascinating visual part to their songs, each one underpinned in some different way by the use of these extra elements. Indeed during Giving Up The Gun the light show took on psychedelic proportions and the overall effect was stunning. One minor quibble however, from where I was sitting (the first tier up off the floor in front of the 'posh boxes'!) the lights often shone straight into our eyes over the heads of the throbbing masses standing on the venue floor.
So after a thrilling, throbbing, thunderous, thoroughly enjoyable fifty five minutes the band left the stage. The usual stomping, clapping, whoopin' an a hollerin' stretched out for several minutes before the lads returned to play their encore, which incidentally, has been the same three songs for most of the current tour!
During Hannah Hunt Rostam switched from keyboards to guitar and then he swapped back again for One (Blake's Got A New Face) during which he played some playful ditties reminiscent of the old hit Popcorn made popular in 1972 by Hot Butter! At this point Ezra thanked us for coming out to see them, he also said that he has always liked his visits to our city. The band have particularly fond memories of playing in Nice n' Sleazy way back before they had released their eponymous album in 2008! Happy memories indeed.
Then Vampire Weekend launched into the final song of the night, the fabulous, roller coaster that is Walcott with its tantalising, tinkling piano notes and pumping, pounding drum beats. This has long been a favourite of mine and so it was a pleasure to hear it played live and it acted as a wonderful finale to a great gig. The audience went 'tonto', sang along, singing and dancing themselves into a greasy spot!
As the lights went up and we started to shuffle out of the Hydro with great music resonating around our brains we were assailed by the in-house sound system one last time. This time encouraging us to "start spreading the news" as New York New York played us out. A very appropriate choice indeed!
Cheers lads (that goes for Noah and the Whale too), a wonderful night out and haste ye back.
SET LIST:
Diane Young
White Sky
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
Unbelievers
Holiday
False start!
Step
Horchata
Everlasting Arms
Cousins
California English
A-Punk
Boston (Ladies of Cambridge)
Ya Hey
Campus
Oxford Comma
Giving Up The Gun
Obvious Bicycle
Encore 22:00
Hannah Hunt
One (Blake's Got A New Face)
Walcott
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Saturday, 16 November 2013
Vampire Weekend @ The Hydro, Glasgow. Friday 15 November, 2013
Thursday, 14 November 2013
Pokey LaFarge @ The Classic Grand, Glasgow. Wednesday 6th November, 2013
The first time I saw Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three (plus 2) was at the end of August in North Dorset at the End Of The Road festival. This time Pokey reciprocated and trailed his caravan up to Glasgow to the Classic Grand, no less!
The venue is actually not as 'swanky' as the name suggests, however, it does have an illustrious past. The building was originally constructed around 1860 as a 5-storey commercial warehouse. It was then converted into a cinema (designed by William B Whitie) and opened as the Grand Central in 1915, seating 750. The venue was closed in 1966, reopened in 1973 and went through two more incarnations as a cinema before finally closing in 1992. It was recently reinvented as the Classic Grand nightclub showcasing a variety of both local and well-known acts. On the night there were 3 other bands performing in the venue below where Pokey Lafarge was plying his trade and the floor under our feet rumbled with the vibrations being emitted by "the Spawn of Satan" as Pokey jokingly referred to the other acts!
Pokey LaFarge, the South City Three, TJ Muller and Chloe Feoranzo all bounded onto the small stage with its Art Deco arched backdrop at about 21:00 to a rousing reception.
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Pokey Lafarge |
Chloe Feoranzo (clarinet, saxophone) was decked out in a 1950's style vibrant red dress with full skirt. TJ Muller (cornet, trombone) and Joey Glynn (upright bass) looked like extras from The Great Gatsby or The Sting. Ryan Koenig (wash board, snare drum, harmonica) looked like the coolest cowboy in town, Adam Hoskins (lead guitar) looked casual and it seemed as if he had donned a 'see you Jimmy' hat just for us and Pokey (guitar) looked suave, debonair, sophisticated and down right snappy!
So over the next hour and twenty minutes the band served up some seventeen scintillating, sassy, sexy, swing-a-sing-a-long sounds which had us boppin' an a hoppin' in thrilled enjoyment. Pokey entreated us at the outset to have fun and leave our cares behind. In addition, he said at one point "We are here to have a good time. If you are low, we aim to get you high. If you are high, we aim to get you higher"! And true to his word, he and the band did just that.
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Adam Hoskins |
The music that the band perform is a wonderful trip down memory lane for some and an interesting introduction to a bygone era for others. The music incorporates early jazz, roots, hot swing, and ragtime blues and it evokes images of riverboat chic and energetic bluegrass served up with pep and verve. It may be rooted in the past, but Pokey and the band add a modern twist and the whole deal sounds snappy, up-to-date, here and now and timeless. The energy zapped around the stage and each member of the band played their part in keeping things zipping along at a thrilling pace. Even the slower numbers, What The Rain Will Bring, Let's Get Lost & Kentucky Mae for example, kept things moving along nicely. At one point Chloe Feoranzo and TJ Muller left the stage to allow Pokey and the South City Three to play a couple of songs on their own. Off stage the two of them performed some snazzy dance routines and seemed to be really enjoying themselves. It was all in keeping with the ethos of the gig: we are here to have fun so you have fun too!
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Ryan Koenig |
Ryan Koenig played some fabulous mouth organ solos and I particularly enjoyed his work during Sweet Potato Blues. He also had a wonderful metronomic thing going on during his washboard solos which he ended with robotic automaton flourishes! Adam Hoskins and Pokey blended extremely well and the two guitars traded great solos throughout the night. The highlight for me was Adam's fine solo work on Central Time just before the encore. At the back Joey Glynn kept the beat pounding along with real zest and he also showed his his finger picking prowess when Pokey asked him to pep things up a bit! The 'wind section' was also a joy to listen to as both TJ & Chloe duetted on a number of tracks and soloed on several others, always adding a rich, rewarding layer to the overall sound. The clarinet solo on Big Bill Broonzy's Going Back To Arkansas was fabulous, another memorable addition to a great night.
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Joey Glynn |
After a short break Pokey returned to the stage to a well earned and rapturous applause from the increasingly enthusiastic audience and played an unscripted encore (almost unheard of these days - unscripted I mean!). He began with Josephine from his self released 2006 album Marmalade which he played solo. The band then rejoined him and the finished off the night with two more songs in their tight and exceptionally well honed, inimitable style. We lapped it up and craved more, however, as Pokey had advised during the show, he wants as many folk to be able to enjoy his music and so there was 14 lower age limit for the show and as such there was a 23:00 'curfew'. However, the sights and sounds we had borne witness to were resonating long after the show was over and we all headed home in a state of heightened enjoyment.
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TJ Muller |
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Chloe Feoranzo |
PS. Good to see the merchandise being 'home grown' i.e. the T Shirts were made in the USA. Well done!
Set List
Feels So Good
Okie Boogie - Jack Guthrie
Bowlegged
What The Rain Will Bring
Pack It Up
Two-faced Tom
Hard Times Come and Go
Day After day
Kentucky Mae
Drinkin' Whiskey Tonight
Close The Door
Sweet Potato Blues
Let's Get Lost
So Long Honeybee, Goodbye
Riverboat Shuffle - Hoagy Carmichael
Going Back To Arkansas - Big Bill Broonzy great clarinet solo
Central Time
10:20 - Encore
Josephine
La La Blues
Garbage Man Blues
Tuesday, 5 November 2013
Bear's Den & The Mariner's Children @ King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow.Sunday 3rd November, 2013
King Tut's Wah Wah Hut opened its doors under the ownership of DF Concerts in February 1990 and was named after a New York club of the 80's which promoted live music, performing arts and comedy. The Glasgow version was set up to provide a platform for unsigned/up-and-coming bands to play live every night of the week and, as the stairs to the gig hall lay testimony, a veritable who's who of major bands have passed through the place over its 23 years. Amongst other accolades, the place has been called one of the best live music venues in the UK, and most certainly the best in Glasgow. It has won 'Licensed Music Pub Of The Year' (Scottish Licensed Trade News in Nov 2001) and it was awarded BBC Radio 1's UK Best Live Music Venue award three years in a row. Not bad for a wee basement venue with a 300 capacity!
Bear's Den and the support act The Mariner's Children arrived at King Tut's on a crisp, clear, clean and cold November night. They are set to play several more UK gigs before heading to Germany & the Netherlands as part of their current tour and it was great that they had added Tut's to the list of venues. So I went to see them along with an enthusiastic crowd of some 150 other folk and I found myself wondering just where we were all meant to stand if it was full. I guess it would just have been a bit more 'intimate' from the audience's point of view!
So now it was the turn of two more acts to make the step up the ladder of success, starting with The Mariner's Children.......
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The Mariner's Children |
The gig started at about 20:45 when the support band, a five piece on the night, assembled on stage and Benedict Rubinstein (looking uncannily like Daniel Radcliffe's brother!) launched them into their first song. I say 'five piece', however, as the article in the Guardian back on 23 Sept 2010 helpfully explained, they are in fact a seven piece collective (Emma Kraemer - violin & Daniel Matthews - guitar, piano, accordion, glockenspiel, vocals were absent).
So Becca Mears (cello), Benedict Rubinstein (vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin, autoharp), Felix Weldon (drums), Emma Gatrill (accordion, banjo, vocals), and Marcus Hamblett (double bass, vocals) performed some fascinatingly intricate and interesting songs and I was immediately captivated by their sound. In parts it references Mumford & Sons, Admiral Fallow and Arcade Fire, however, the band (who hail from Norfolk/London/Brighton) also have a love of Pentangle, Iron & Wine and Bert Jansch. Overall, their sound is an alt folk one and their lyrics are bedded in the folk traditions of love and death! As Benedict says on their website about the song Sycamore, it “came from a period when I’d gone to a lot of funerals in a very short space of time. I was thinking about death a lot but I was also in quite a good place in my life and very much in love......The track is about death, but it’s definitely a love song”!
I was particularly taken with the song structures and the tight harmonies to which various band members contributed at different stages. The songs are not based on the accepted norm of verse/chorus/verse but more on a thoughtful development of sound. Some build up to a full band sound from a quiet start (witness the aforementioned Sycamore) and others start out with loud thumping drums, descend into vocal duets and then build again to an aural assault as in It Carved Your Name Into The Ground. In addition, and there is more than a passing resemblance with Admiral Fallow here, various band members are multi instrumentalists! At one point Emma swapped banjo for accordion then bass guitar and Marcus swapped bass for banjo. This added an interesting musical dynamic to the overall sound and, along with Benedict's acoustic lead and Becca's cello, it allowed the band to vary the musical style and tempo to great effect.
At the end of their set I bought a copy of the current EP Sycamore and I look forward to more from this interesting collective, who include members of Peggy Sue, Laura Marling, Sons of Noel and Adrian, Alessi’s Ark, and Eyes & No Eyes! In the meantime, check out The Mariner's Children on the link below singing It Carved Your Name Into The Ground.....
It Carved Your Name Into The Ground
Next up the staircase was Bear's Den. As those of you reading this with local knowledge will testify, we have an area of the city (on the north west fringes) called Bearsden (pronounced exactly the same way) however, that is where the similarity ends!
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Bear's Den |
This incarnation of Bear's Den are three young lads from London. Andrew Davie (acoustic and electric guitars), Kev Jones (drums, bass, keyboards) & Joey Haynes (electric guitar, banjo). According to their Facebook page other artists they like include Barry Manilow, Youth Lagoon and Florence Foster Jenkins and they formed on 12 March 2012. When asked how best to describe their music in an interview with the music blog AMBY in June 2013, the band said "Storytelling songs which aim to inhabit a sonic landscape somewhere between CSN&Y and Youth Lagoon". So there you have it!
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Andrew Davie |
Andrew Davie (known as Davie) thanked us all for coming and seemed rather nervous but delighted to be playing in Glasgow. His 'banter' between songs was limited but perhaps this was because he wanted the music to do the talking. So first up we had Agape the title from their 5 track EP released earlier this year and from the picked banjo intro, played by Joey Haynes, via the tub thumping drumming by Kevin Jones, it was clear that we were in for a great night. The song has a great rolling rhythm and a good number of those present sang along keeping Davie company as he eased into the set.
The inter play between Davie and Joey on various guitars and banjo was an integral part of the bands sound and this was evident on the slower Don't Let The Sun Steal You Away which includes the interesting line
Don't let your mind speak louder than your heart.
A great sentiment indeed and the three part harmonies were a joy to hear.
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Kevin Jones |
Kevin Jones played some fine, if not a little unconventional, drumming, I don't think I saw a traditional drum stick all night! His style is more pounding and 'beating' out rhythms using large round headed, cloth covered drum sticks. This was when he wasn't playing a bass guitar or keyboards whilst simultaneously drumming with his right hand!
Along the way we also heard songs from the Pompeii EP, only available at gigs, and the recently released 6 track EP Without/Within off which came perhaps my favourite song on the night - Sophie. The song started with languid, lolling notes traded between Davey's acoustic guitar and Joey's electrified banjo and it was underpinned by a subtle drum and bass section provided by Kev. The lyrics are particularly sad and enigmatic and includes the lines:
You would hide yourself in a shroud as your hair started falling out
When you took off your dressing gown Sophie
And your mother was dressed in black with a lock of your hair in her hand
And I knew there was no turning back Sophie
And I can't forgive myself, no I can't forgive myself......
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Joey Haynes |
Davey stated that "many of our songs are slow and depressing", a contender for the 'no shit, Sherlock' award! However, they are also wonderful aural soundscapes which evoke many emotions with some fine lyrics sung with heartfelt sincerity.
To lift the mood the band then played two of their more up beat numbers, starting with Writing On The Wall during which Kev played fine pounding drum & bass then acoustic guitar and left handed keyboards! The song ended on a great sonic 'work out' between Davey's acoustic guitar and Joey's electrified banjo. Then next up was Sahara (Part 1 & 2) and the introduction played by Joey reminded me of the 'sometimes' band The Friends Of Dean Martinez. He elicited similar ethereal sounds from the high notes of his electric guitar that they sometimes create. As the song simmered along coming to the boil with a frenzied crescendo the audience danced and Bear's Den rocked the Hut to a shimmering finale.
The guys then left the stage to rapturous applause, returning shortly afterwards to perform an acoustic version of Bad Blood which saw the trio of beardies gathered in a small group off to the side of the stage. Davey and Kev played acoustic guitars and Joey played banjo whilst the three part harmonies were very much to the fore. It was an impressive end to an exhilarating show.
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Bear's Den |
Thanks to all who contributed to a great night and going by the animated, exuberant reaction from the crowd we had all enjoyed a memorable evening in King Tut's Wah Wah Hut. Cheers.
22:00
Agape
The Waters
Don't Let The Sun Steal You Away
Pompeii
Mother
Sophie
Isaac
Writing On The Wall
Sahara (Part 1 & 2)
Hard Life
Encore 22:45
Bad Blood - (acoustic version)
Saturday, 26 October 2013
Otis Gibbs @ the Admiral Bar, Glasgow. Thursday 24 October, 2013
Otis Gibbs is just one of those guys that gets 'under your skin' and gives you a pleasant itch! The fact that he is a gifted storey teller in the Harry Chapin mould, is of course, an extra attraction. Oh, and the fact that he hails from a place with an enticing name called Wanamaker (originally New Bethel), Indiana (a state with three unbelievably straight borders!) also adds colour to his personality!
My first encounter with Otis was back in 2008 when he toured as the support act to Rennie and Brett Sparks - The Handsome Family, and I have kept abreast with, and greatly enjoyed, his musical output since. So when I saw that Kevin Morris/The Fallen Angels Club were bringing him back to Glasgow, I was a 'shoe in' as we say!
I have been to one other gig in the Admiral Bar basement and that was Old Man Luedecke (see my review back on 9th May this year) and as luck would have it tonight was the same talented young man who was the support act - Al Shields!
Al, who advised us that he had come straight to the gig from his work, was wearing his usual 'pork pie' hat and played some fine electrified acoustic guitar as accompaniment to his songs. He started with a song called Bluebird (I believe) and after some minor technical gremlins, he settled into a great 30 minute set which included Losin' Sleep, Blessed By The Wind, Got It So Bad and Crying Over You. All of which were well received by an appreciative audience who had foregone the likes of Peter Gabriel (who was on at the SSE Hydro) to attend!
Al made reference to his last visit to the venue and explained that at that point he was just back to playing live music after an eight month lay off and he was far from 'on form' that night. I think he was being overly modest as he wasn't that 'off form' back then, but there was a confidence about his performance tonight that was palpable. He chose to end on a great cover of Lefty Frizzell's wonderful Saginaw Michigan (Lefty also wrote the peerless Long Black Veil) and Al left the stage to a well earned applause.
Check out Al Shields here.....
And so, after a few more songs Otis worked towards the end of the show. As any of you who read this blog regularly will know, I am not a big fan of the whole encore charade and so it was very refreshing when Otis explained that he had no intention of playing that "encore rock n' roll bullshit". So he suggested that after Kansas City he would take a step back and we could go batshit and then he would 'reappear full of surprise, wonder and humility' at our adoration! It was a fun and humorous way to draw things to a close. And we did indeed go batshit as we had really enjoyed a superb gig during which we had heard songs from most of Otis' albums. We had listened to some great finger picking guitar playing, some wonderfully meaningful lyrics sung to great melodies with catchy hooks and been regaled with some funny and uplifting stories of life on the road as seen by Mr Otis Gibbs of Wanamaker, Indiana.
Check out Otis singing "Caroline" (a favourite of mine!) here.....
Check out Al Shields here.....
The great thing about these sorts of gigs is that whilst Al was performing on stage, Otis stood at the back and enjoyed a few songs along with the rest of us. Also, everyone in attendance was a fan in the sense that we were there to hear the songs performed live and not bask in reflected glory from being seen with or next to the 'star'! We were all 'brothers under the bridge' as Springsteen sang back in '83. No autograph hunters here, no embarrassingly posed photos with the 'band' tonight!
And so, Otis took to the stage at 21:00 and acting as MC, he asked the audience to "put your hands together and welcome on stage, all the way from Wanamaker, Indiana, Mr Otisssss Gibbs"! We were all as one, in attendance to participate in a communal musical experience, as Otis was to say later on.
Let the show begin!
Let the show begin!
First up was Second Best from Otis' current album Harder Than Hammered Hell which got things off to a great start and it was obvious that his gravely, sonorous voice was in good form, as indeed was his guitar playing. Then we were treated to the sublime Where Only The Graves Are Real from 2010's Joe Hill's Ashes. As I said at the start, Otis has a talent for words and this song has some cracking lines in it including the acerbic:
"Where are my true friends? Where did they go? God dam all of my fake friends, the ones who cling to me like I'm a star. Everyone's your best friend when you're closing down the bars, god bless the ones who really are"
Mr Gibbs, who has been likened to Woody Guthrie, Steve Earle or Nebraska era Springsteen, is a story teller par excellence and I don't just mean the lyrics in his songs. His inter-song banter was entertaining, humorous, moving and at one point extremely emotional. Along the way he regaled us with stories of how he learnt to appreciate & sing Hank Williams and Jimmie Rodgers in the questionable company of his 'uncle' Brisco. Stories of his days as an underpaid 'doorman' ('bouncer' to us!) when he almost shook hands with Johnny Cash and tales of his days planting trees! In his time, Otis told us, he has planted in excess of 7000 trees and so perhaps it is no surprise that the cover of his current album is of a root balled tree flanked by two shovels. It was at this point that things got pretty emotional and that can't be easy for a man of such obvious sensitivity. We heard about an exceptional young man who Otis encountered during his tree planting days. The two became life long friends, saving up so that they could have some wonderful 'life experiences' together, sadly these times together were to be limited as fate stepped in and took Otis' friend at the age of 30 years old.
It seemed utterly appropriate that, after his "manufactured enthusiasm" for 'uncle' Brisco, Otis asked if we would mind if he sang a song for his friend, the applause was deep felt and genuinely encouraging as he sang Something More the final song from Joe Hill's Ashes:
"I was thinking about the lord above and why do the good die young and why do the worst of those amongst us never fail. I am trying to believe that there is something more to this world besides keeping score, but frankly I'm losing faith as all my friends pass away"
To lighten the mood Otis then told us about a guy in England who patted him on the back as he left the gig saying "Toodle pip old chap". To which Otis said he didn't know if he should "shit or wind his wrist watch". Classic!
And so, after a few more songs Otis worked towards the end of the show. As any of you who read this blog regularly will know, I am not a big fan of the whole encore charade and so it was very refreshing when Otis explained that he had no intention of playing that "encore rock n' roll bullshit". So he suggested that after Kansas City he would take a step back and we could go batshit and then he would 'reappear full of surprise, wonder and humility' at our adoration! It was a fun and humorous way to draw things to a close. And we did indeed go batshit as we had really enjoyed a superb gig during which we had heard songs from most of Otis' albums. We had listened to some great finger picking guitar playing, some wonderfully meaningful lyrics sung to great melodies with catchy hooks and been regaled with some funny and uplifting stories of life on the road as seen by Mr Otis Gibbs of Wanamaker, Indiana.
Then and with a final touch of the unusual, Otis stepped off the small stage and walked around the audience playing acoustic guitar, unplugged whilst he sang Karluv Most the opening track from 2004's One Day Our Whispers album. A nice touch which brought us full circle, back to everyone being part of the shared experience.......thanks Otis and here's to your next visit!
Check out Otis singing "Caroline" (a favourite of mine!) here.....
Set List:
Second Best
Where Only the Graves Are Real
Unknown song
Caroline
Small Town Saturday Night (tribute to 'uncle' Brisco)
Unknown song
It's Never Enough
Joe Hill's Ashes
Unknown song
Preacher Steve
Something More (tribute to Otis's friend)
The town That Killed Kennedy
Kansas City
'Encore'
Detroit Steel
Karluv Most
Second Best
Where Only the Graves Are Real
Unknown song
Caroline
Small Town Saturday Night (tribute to 'uncle' Brisco)
Unknown song
It's Never Enough
Joe Hill's Ashes
Unknown song
Preacher Steve
Something More (tribute to Otis's friend)
The town That Killed Kennedy
Kansas City
'Encore'
Detroit Steel
Karluv Most
PS. If anyone can update the three 'Unknown' songs listed above, it would be much appreciated!
Thursday, 17 October 2013
The Proclaimers @ The Hydro, Glasgow. Saturday 12 October, 2013
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I first saw Craig and Charlie Reid on stage at the Barrowlands in Glasgow's East End back in 1987 when they were the support to the Housemartins. I was so struck by their geeky uniqueness that I rushed out the next day (spot the geek!) and bought their début album This Is The Story and have been a fan ever since. Winding forward 26 years the twins look less geeky but are no less unique despite the passage of time. I was in fact impressed with how toned and well they appeared and was struck for the first time at how different from each other they looked. Craig has let his hair grow a little on top and wore it brushed straight back whilst Charlie wore his slightly shorter with a side parting. They also wear different eye ware these days!
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Glasvegas |
On the night, and due to an oversight on my part, I missed the opening act Roddy Hart and The Lonesome Fire which was 'a real bummer' (as our American 'cousins' are wont to say) as I really like their eponymous album and was looking forward to hearing them live. However, I was in time to catch the second support act of the night - Glasvegas and I really enjoyed their vibrant, raucous, thumping set. However, I'm not sure what the rest of the middle aged patrons, who made up much of the audience, thought of them!
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Charlie Reid |
This was the last night of The Proclaimers 2013 tour and the last chance to see them live until 2015. Therefore, it was extra special to see them in the recently opened, state-of-the-art, 13,000 capacity Hydro which sits, spaceship-like, adjacent to the SECC, were they concluded their last tour on 13 November 2009! On that tour the lads showcased their Notes & Rhymes album, however, this time out was to be more of a greatest hits show, as they ran through the latest album The Very Best Of - 25 Years 1987 - 2012. However, there were a few 'new' songs including Not Cynical (the only new song from the current album) and a handful from the last studio album Like Comedy.
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Craig Reid |
So, at about 21:00 Matt Lucas, one of the band's 'biggest' fans, approached the front of the stage and euphorically introduced the Proclaimers who then appeared with their band to a rapturous reception. First out of the traps was Whatever You've Got, the first track from the 2012 studio album Like Comedy. This song set the tempo for much of the rest of the night with its pounding drum intro and heavy bass keyboard notes leading into the twin harmonies and a sprinkling of guitar solo mid way through. The whole song building to an irresistible, toe tapping, sing-a-long finale where the audience sang one of the chorus parts and the twins sang the rejoinder. This is exactly the kind of song that the Proclaimers write to perfection and that the appreciative audience have come to love. It is strange to think that after two cracking albums (This Is The Story - 1987 & Sunshine On Leith - 1988) the brothers hit a barren patch and suffered "writers' cramp" before releasing album number 3: Hit The Highway in 1994 - a six year hiatus..
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Zac Ware |
Zac Ware on electric and pedal steel guitars played some great stuff and his solos were an integral part of the overall sound. He fitted them around Craig and Charlie's vocal parts expertly and he blended extremely well with Charlie's acoustic guitar playing. The drumming was crisp and clear, perhaps partly due to the wonderful acoustics afforded by the new, purpose built venue, and Clive Jenner kept the beat flowing with great precision. Standing in front of Clive but behind the twins was Garry John Kane who pumped, plucked and persuaded some solid rhythm out of his bass guitar to fill out the bottom end to great sonorous effect. Then finally, off to the right of the stage sat Stevie Christie 'tickling the ivories' with tantalising consequences for the general sound. On occasion he also played fine accordion to boot! The whole musical impression was then brought to almost unique focus by the singing of Craig and Charlie. Their harmonies are as much a trademark as their East Coast of Scotland accents, which gladly they refused to submerge in mid-Atlantic-ism way back when they set out. They were advised to drop the accent if they wanted to succeed, but instead they wrote Throw The 'R' Away and placed it track one, side one on album number one! Welcome to the Proclaimers!
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Garry John Kane |
Born in Leith in 1962, Craig and Charlie grew up in Edinburgh, Cornwall and Auchtermuchty (a royal burgh until 1975 and also home to Sir Jimmy Shand!) in Fife. Growing up, they listened to country greats like Merle Haggard & Hank Williams and early rock and roll such as Jerry Lee Lewis and these influences are evident in their music today.
Their harmonies are also very reminiscent of the Everly Brothers and the Louvin Brothers. In addition to their vocal talents the Proclaimers have written some great lyrics too and on the night I particularly enjoyed The Light from 1988's Hit The Highway album which includes the following:
Their harmonies are also very reminiscent of the Everly Brothers and the Louvin Brothers. In addition to their vocal talents the Proclaimers have written some great lyrics too and on the night I particularly enjoyed The Light from 1988's Hit The Highway album which includes the following:
And if I'm found wanting when my case is heard,
it will be by the author not some interpreter of his word
Then a little later in the show they performed perhaps one of their best songs in my opinion, lyrically speaking with Erica Nockalls (a member of the Wonderstuff) on violin. It comes from their 2001 album Persevere and is called Scotland's Story. The song tells of the magnificent mix that makes up the Scottish people and, by definition, makes Scotland such a wonderful, exciting, inclusive place. It encapsulates the meaning of the saying "We're a' Jock Tamson's Bairns" (The east coast village of Fife's Fishing History suggests the small fishing town of Buckhaven may have been one source for this saying. Of 160 families living in the village in 1833, over 70 were Thomsons!). Whatever the origins, the meaning is essentially that we are all the same under the skin and the final verse of the song goes as follows:
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Clive Jenner |
All through the story the immigrants came
The Gael and the Pict, the Angle and Dane
From Pakistan, England and from the Ukraine
We're all Scotland's story and we're all worth the same
Your Scotland's story is worth just the same
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Erica Nockalls |
This was followed by another of the lads landmark songs, the title track from their second album, Sunshine On Leith. Again to assist with the haunting violin sections in the song Erica played the part beautifully. Resplendent in her cropped, white hair and puffed out white dress she played and swayed to perfection and was awarded a resounding ovation as she left the stage.
There was also a moment which illustrated why these lads are held in such affection when they read out the names of a few folk in the audience who were about to 'get hitched' just before dedicating Let's Get Married to them. Also, along the way we were treated to some joyous sing-a-long songs which kept the vocal cords loosened. These included songs such as I'm On My Way, Letter From America, Sunshine On Leith and the seminal 500 Miles which brought the show to a rollicking, rousing and rambunctious end. From where I was standing on the floor of the arena it looked as though everyone was on their feet, even away up there 'in the gods', metaphorically marching those five hundred miles!
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Stevie Christie |
The band returned for a three song encore starting with a very personally poignant Life With You which began with a slow hand clapping beat and built to a wonderful crescendo, helped along by horn sounds coaxed by Stevie Christie from the keyboards! Up next was the Proclaimers' version of Roger Miller's wonderful 1964 song King Of The Road, and as before, we all bellowed along to every word. Then, after one hour and twenty minutes of pulsating, perfectly performed, pure-dead-brilliant party music which brought the punters to their feet, the show and the tour came to an end with Joyful Kilmarnock Blues. Given that this was the last track on their début album it seemed a fitting finale and the audience left the Hydro with a joyful feeling of time well spent in the company of friends.......
Whatever You've Got
Notes & Rhymes
Not Cynical
Shout Shout
Letter From America
Spinning Around in the Air
The Thought of You
Let's Get Married
The Light
Cap in Hand
After You’re Gone
Sean
I'm on My Way
Shadows Fall
Scotland’s Story
Sunshine on Leith
Sky Takes the Soul
What Makes You Cry?
I Met You
There's a Touch
500 Miles
Encore
Life With You
King of the Road
Joyful Kilmarnock Blues
Thursday, 10 October 2013
The Airborne Toxic Event @ The Garage, Glasgow 6 Oct 2013
This was a much anticipated gig and so, as we walked up the long double stair case to the reception area in The Garage on Glasgow's famous Sauchiehall Street, I was full of anticipation and was readily expectant. The band's third album Such Hot Blood has been an ever present on my phone since I first heard it.
The Garage, formally the Mayfair ballroom, has a total capacity of 1000 and the main hall has the ability to entertain 700 folk. Tonight, the place was so packed that it seemed that spare tickets would have been as easy to come by as hen's teeth! The current reinvigoration of this venerable old hall took place back in 1994 when, with its bright yellow trademark half truck emblem suspended over the entrance, the Garage opened its doors for live entertainment again. It very quickly became a place that aspiring up and coming bands wanted to play on their way to larger venues.
The support on the night was The Drowning Men, a five piece of well honed musicians who played a thrilling set. I should say that I hadn't heard of them before, but was taken with what I heard. For me, the stand out tracks were A Fool's Campaign, Lost In A Lullaby, Rita and Smile. The band were on their first visit to Glasgow and were very well received by the audience who were fired up for the main act. They had brought their powerful, pumping version of indie-rock over from Oceanside, California and I hope to see more of them in the future. Nato Bardeen on guitar and vocals (he also plays keys & mandolin) has a great voice and and a well defined stage presence. He fronted James Smith (great subtle lead guitar, vocals), Todd Eisenkerch (bass, vocals), the prodigiously bearded Rory Dolan (percussion), and the slightly less bearded Gabelani Messer (keys, vocals). Since their first performances in 2006 they have developed as a great, tight, throbbing unit who are powered on mainly by Nato Bardeen's song writing skills. We were well warmed up for the main event, cheers lads.
Check out The Drowning Men here.....
Check out The Drowning Men here.....
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Mikel Jollett |
At 21:00 the lights went down, the crowd went 'tonto' and The Airborne Toxic Event (named after a section in the book White Noise by Don DeLillo) bounded onto the five foot high stage and blasted into their opening number. I have included a set list at the end which is from their official print out, however, the songs were played in whatever order the ebullient, efflorescent, energetic, exuberant Mikel Jollett decided at the time! From the outset I was reminded of the enthusiastic proto-punk of bands like the Clash, the Jam, Television and Elvis Costello. The excitable, frenetic, pumped up sound and energy was further enhanced by the drain pipe jeans and 4" turn ups that some of the band favoured. In addition, the three guitarists made use of the sturdy monitors to stand up and tower over the front rows of adoring fans. Indeed, the sprightly 39 year old Mr Jollett sprang from the stage and walked along the front crush barrier on several occasions and at one point was helped up on top of the barrier as he sang and swayed some five and a half feet above the ecstatic crowd. Thrilling stuff indeed!
The Airborne Toxic Event, an American indie rock band from Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, is the 'brain child' of Mikel Jollett (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and a candidate for Robbie Williams' brother. The band released their début, self-titled album in 2008 and followed it up in 2011 with All AT Once. Jollett took to writing music fairly late in that he was 32 by the time he started. It is perhaps no surprise that the person he would like to spend time with most, dead or alive, is Leonard Cohen who started writing music when he was 33!
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Anna Bulbrook |
Meanwhile, on stage, the band were trashing out song after song with metronomic pulsation and little said between tunes. They were thoroughly enjoying themselves, if the smiles of appreciation were much to go by. Having said that, Anna Bulbrook (tambourine, keyboards, violin, backing vocals) played some stunning violin parts, some of which sounded like horns, appeared to have an interesting moody, bored, disinterested thing going on which contrasted with Mikel's grinning, smiling, chirpy features! Indeed, at one point he told us that all we really had was "today". Oh so true, Mikel, oh so prescient.
At one point the lights dimmed and the band stood mannequin-esque, frozen to their respective spots as the audience went 'bat-shit' (that's x decibels louder than 'ape-shit' by the way!) and as the crescendo intensified to industrial strength, Mikel, for one, stood there with an ever increasingly appreciative grin which worked itself into a full blown smile of absolute wonderment at what he and his cohorts were capable of creating. This is a group of artists who not only produce an excellent product but are also grounded enough to fully enjoy the reaction their art produces. They are still humbled by the experience and long may that continue, it is an essential connection between artists and their public. Yin and yang, give and take, joy and pleasure.
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Noah Harmon |
During the set both Noah Harmon (electric bass, backing vocals) and Mikel Jollett struck classic guitar player stances, reminiscent of both Eddie Cochran and Joe Strummer. Excellent choices in my opinion! However, this gig wasn't about poses, it was about high octane, energised, stoked up, sweating, simmering songs set to scintillating syncopation! The shear joy expressed by the band was tangible and Mr Jollett kept the surprises set to the max by hand picking the order of play from the set list. OK, the band knew what they were playing but the order was pure 'Russian roulette'! From what I have been able to determine this was about the 920 th time that this lot have stepped out on a stage and therefore it was inevitable that they would sound 'spot on'. We were witnessing a well oiled machine at the top of their game, don't get me wrong, I don't mean calculated, soulless, mechanical. I mean, powerful, vibrant, immediate, zestful, fun and exhilarating.
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Steven Chen |
Over to the right of the stage Steven Chen (guitar, keyboards) was working magic playing some smashing guitar and acting as a foil to whatever Mikel was laying down. Occasionally, he dropped his guitar over his shoulder and hammered out some joyful additional beats on a stand-alone drum. Meanwhile, and inevitably stationed back there in the furthest reaches, was Daren Taylor (drums) who kept everything pinned down with his pin sharp drumming. Often the 'custodian of the skins' is a beefy kinda guy but Daren is a slight lad but no less able for that. He laid down some wonderful beats, filling in where necessary and cajoling things along excellently with some snappy rim shots! Half way through the gig Daren had to contend with a latter-day helium balloon which had lost its ability to stay in the stratosphere above the stage and had drooped, dropping to the level of the drum kit. It floated aimlessly about but due to unseen heat currents it drifted randomly back and forth in front of his elevated position like an uninvited drunken, dipsomaniac at an AA meeting. I doubt that even Mikel could have scripted this intrusion!
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Daren Taylor |
Nor do I believe that he orchestrated his 'amnesia' during one of the slower songs. Mikel genuinely seemed aghast that he had temporarily forgotten the lyrics, however, several members of the audience were able to prompt him along and on a couple of accessions he asked for help to get things back on track. For me, it was all part and parcel, the joys of live music.
On this wonderfully melodic meandering journey through the gig, we had Noah swapping bass for rhythm guitar & keyboards; Steven swapping electric guitar for keyboards and drum & bass and Anna swapping violin for keyboards and tambourine. The instrumental interchanging was infectious and the audience celebrated every incarnation of the band with wild applause.
And so, nearly an hour after the band bounded on stage, they exited stage right at a canter. There then followed the raucous encouragement from the audience to entice them back. Mercifully, things have evolved in this regard. I am old enough to remember clapping, stamping, cheering, enticing, imploring and extolling bands to return for their encore for 15 - 20 minutes! These days bands are more commercially aware and so The Airborne Toxic Event returned after an acceptable pause. However, the down side of this commercial awareness is that encores are now scripted. No one seems to play an unscheduled song and almost nobody returns for a second encore (Costello often did if he was having fun!). Indeed, I saw the set list as the roadies taped it to the stage and the three encore songs were listed. So much for spontaneity!
However, as the band in question was TATE we were still in for a couple of surprises. The set list had Timeless as the first song, but they played All For A Woman instead! And so to finish things off the band set to with Missy, the ninth track from their début album. It was during this song that the band let loose, for example five days earlier in Manchester during this finale they played Ring of Fire, American Girl and Born in the USA (Cash/Petty/Springsteen! Wow). We were treated to a song written by a member of Buddy Holly's band, Sonny Curtis who penned the wonderful I Fought The Law, which, as if to bring things full circle, is perhaps best know in the UK as a song made famous by Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Nicky "Topper" Headon aka The Clash! As Costello once sang "....there's no such thing as an original sin..."
So, as were trooped out of the hall, our ears dulled by the majestic musical onslaught, our feet scuffing plastic beer 'glasses' and our minds full of the intricacies of the last 80 minutes or so I thought about my highlights. The following sprang to mind: energy, spirit, joyously precocious talent, melody and commitment. The songs that stood out? Gasoline, Bride And Groom, Timeless, The Graveyard Near The House, and All At Once.
I was left with a slow burning, warming ember of satisfaction. I had seen the band on their game, perhaps at the top of their game. They will get better, but sadly that means bigger and that means stadiums and that means further away, that means more isolated, that means more removed and that means more remote. But hay, with modern technology (see my Springsteen review) we can still be part of the action. However, as I left I felt privileged to have been there, in the front row, in the Garage on Sunday 6 October 2013, a mere three feet away from The Airborne Toxic Event.
Official Set List:
Gasoline
Happiness Is Overrated
Does This Mean You're Moving On?
Changing
Something New
Bride & Groom
Hell And Back
Wishing Well
Numb
Safe
The Storm
Sometime Around Midnight
All I Ever Wanted
All At Once
Encore
Timeless
All For A Woman
The Graveyard Near The House
Missy/I Fought The Law/Missy
PS: Apologies for the quality of photographs, but getting a decent camera into some gigs is like trying to fry eggs in a chocolate frying pan!
PS: Apologies for the quality of photographs, but getting a decent camera into some gigs is like trying to fry eggs in a chocolate frying pan!
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