Music Review

Kaiser Chiefs – OVO Hydro

Live music, Music Review

Seasoned indie rockers Kaiser Chiefs proved worth their billing at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on Friday night.

The “All Together” Tour arrived in Glasgow at the end of a long week for Ricky Wilson. An exceptional off night at London’s O2 last Saturday gave fans and music press cause for concern that the Kaiser Chiefs’ singer might not be up to headlining an arena tour right now. All fears were emphatically allayed with a consummate performance by the band on Friday night.

Charged with opening proceedings was Yorkshire band The Sherlocks, followed by Glasgow’s own The Fratellis with their modern take on rock’n’roll that featured both brass and a sassy trio of ladies on backing vocals. From the outset, fans were treated to a solid night of radio-friendly guitar anthems with plenty of opportunities to raise their pints and sing along, arm-in-arm, with friends and strangers alike.

Dancing and pleasure were major themes throughout Kaiser Chiefs’ set, whether intended figuratively or literally, and it took the band all of about 20 seconds of being onstage before the audience had entirely submitted to their will for the evening. Never Miss A Beat still embodied an ironic joy just as prescient in 2022 as when it was released in 2008. The same could be said for a few of the older songs on the setlist, such as Modern Way and The Angry Mob but it was obvious that, for the most part, audiences were expected to feel rather than think their way through the performance.

New single How To Dance was introduced as something of a cure for anxiety which, if true, delivered a great deal of relief to those in attendance. Northern Holiday elevated the positive energy of the room further through its irresistible disco beat while a lengthy call-and-response introduction was added to mega-hit Everyday I Love You Less And Less in case the audience needed to warm up for the ensuing singalong. Wilson dedicated a fabulous rendition of Hole In My Soul to “everyone of you that’s stuck with us over the years”, jumping, dancing and generally running himself ragged all without missing a note. Any critics doubting his dedication or ability to deliver a thrilling arena show were resolutely silenced by the end of the night.

Fan favourite I Predict A Riot brought punters racing back from the bar and toilet queues as shirtless lads on their mates’ shoulders embraced their moment of revelry. A respectable turn around allowed for a two-song encore but with closer Oh My God running to about double its recorded length there was ample singing and dancing to get in before curfew, the band finally leaving to rapturous applause and a chorus of voices sing-chanting their lyrics all the way home.

Jamie T – O2 Academy Glasgow

Live music, Music Review

Jamie T is back in the game!

The indie punk poet kicked off his first headline tour in five years at Glasgow’s O2 Academy – the first of two sold out shows at this venue. Where it’s typical for big acts to schedule gaps in their tours for adding extra shows once the original dates sell out, Jamie T (real name Jamie Treays) is bookending his now-11-date run somewhat unconventionally with second visits to Glasgow and Manchester respectively. Read into it what you like but the singer-songwriter’s unwavering popularity in university towns, particularly across the north, is undeniable.

What’s also apparent from the excitable crowd in Glasgow is that Jamie T inspires the kind of obsessive loyalty in fans that’s usually reserved for rock legends and pop music’s elite. These are a different breed of devotee who can withstand years of relative silence, an absence of musical output, and minimal social media interaction and still be ready to swarm on any opportunity to see their man perform. Fans have travelled from all across the UK and some even made the trip from Europe to be at the opening night of The Theory of Whatever Tour. If Jamie T has casual fans they likely missed out on tickets; this show is packed with only die-hards!

Those who arrive before 8pm – a good majority – are treated to the first official public performance by new outfit 86TVs. The band sound like all the best elements of your parents’ record collection with mind-altering melodic hooks and irresistible vocal harmonies, crisp, steady drums and groovy bass lines, all delivered with an unassuming air of confidence. It’s the kind of performance to convince naive audiences that great songs come easily and genius is the default of true creatives. The fact that 86TVs comprises four veterans of the indie rock scene maybe goes some way to dispelling this myth but it doesn’t detract from the exceptional quality of their opening set. That they only play for 28 minutes is a real disappointment.

There’s no false bravado when Jamie T takes to the stage; the artist possesses a genuine and earned swagger. In the 15 years since the release of his debut album, Panic Prevention, Treays has established a unique status within the UK music scene through his authentic vulnerability, disarming wit and unashamedly astute lyricism. Largely evading the burden of hype and expectation, he has committed diligently to his craft and consistently delivered savvy, incisive, relevant and fun songs that defy the boundaries of any one genre. His fifth LP, for which the tour is named, is a collection as clever as it is charming.

The Glasgow crowd is a mix of ages – young couples brace and embrace along the barrier beside an adolescent boy and his guardian, and on the other side an older gentleman raises his walking stick with vigour. The set opens with 90s Cars and The Old Style Raiders, as per the latest album, and the audience responds like they’re old favourites. Jamie T has always been something of a sonic shape-shifter, and comfortably anachronistic, so it’s curious and exciting that right now he sounds the closest to indie that he ever has.

Acknowledging that he hasn’t played out in a while, Treays intends to deliver a set that covers all eras of his career, with something for everyone. And he does. There are highlights upon highlights; to borrow a phrase, it’s all thriller no filler. The ukulele foundation of Spider’s Web underscores one of many joyful singalongs and sees friends boosting friends on shoulders; the opening chord of Salvador chimes like a call to attention and is met with a plaintive chorus of voices near enough to wake the dead. A Million & One New Ways To Die is another song that embodies the “new fave” with its oddly familiar guitar motif and anthemic pseudo-emo chorus. Solo ballad St. George Wharf Tower is a bold but beautiful move in front of a restless crowd and he follows it up with Back In The Game – just a man and his acoustic bass guitar – showcasing the accomplished intricacy and vibrancy of his songwriting, as it was and continues to be.

Pint cups are launched towards the Academy’s central dome as The Man’s Machine and 368 bring the show towards a ferocious climax, yet both audience and band remain equally buoyant, in synchronised ecstasy. Chants of “Jamie-fucking-T” bring about a three-song encore during which the audience, facing in all directions, bounce, swell and radiate jubilation en masse. At the end the atmosphere is simultaneously chaotic and focused, pure, ragged, and elated; an honest reflection on the music of an artist still finding his edge and an audience willing to follow him there.

Maggie Rogers – O2 Academy Glasgow

Live music, Music Review

November this year begins, as we’ve come to expect, mild and rainy. It’s an otherwise innocuous Tuesday, perfect for doing nothing after a weekend – and Monday – revelling in our first proper Halloween celebrations for three years. Maggie Rogers has other plans though; she wants us to be together, to dance and sing and scream, and who are we to refuse such an invitation?

Our evening commences with a sweet serenading by Samia, whose charm exists somewhere between her lofty vocals, a cute ra-ra skirt and cowboy-boot combo, and the dance school finesse of her stage presence. She’s radiant as she introduces her songs, vignettes of youthful innocence and disillusionment, romantic fantasy and the banality of everyday life, each received with generous screams of recognition. With two songs left she asks, “Can you come on the rest of the tour? I feel like we’ve really…connected.” I feel like we have too, in pursuit of escapism.

That’s what this night is all about: Feeling connected. Rogers said via social media that her aim for each night of this tour is to deliver a set which “starts with some heat, leaves the middle for an emotional release, and still brings us all together at the end.” This is precisely what ensues.

Latest album Surrender is played out in its near-entirety over the course of the night, giving ample opportunities for catharsis both on the stage and within the audience. Want Want is explosive. Alaska and Love You For A Long Time elicit exuberant singalongs. Shatter leaves everyone desperately breathless. Silhouetted like a phantom at the back of the stage, Rogers exorcises some deep frustration on Honey before composing herself within the quiet solace of The Blue Nile’s Let’s Go Out Tonight. It’s a perfect turning point, a place to rebuild from. In the live context Symphony has an air of Fleetwood Mac about it, emphasised towards the end as Rogers dances and spirals in perfect synchronicity with the band’s tight ritard.

“I missed this,” she declares simply. Like a close friend, a sense of identity, a vital organ? One can only imagine what “missing this” for the last three years has felt like for an artist with so much emotional investment in their live exchange. Back In My Body presents as a kind of reconciliation with that touring life. It’s not always glamorous but it has a purpose that Rogers, now even academically, understands. Between the powerful percussion that closes Begging For Rain and the raw vocal and acoustic guitar on Horses, Rogers mines a deep seam of emotion to wrap up the set. Even before the climax, following Anywhere With You, the crowd erupts into such thunderous applause that it delays the big finale of Light On and That’s Where I Am. Rogers and her band stand in awe, gratitude glistening all over them. They drive the performance to its incendiary conclusion and return for an encore that feels both extravagant and essential. Surrender’s closing track Different Kind of World exists to mollify the end of this night together; a feeling and a memory to carry with us as we walk back out into our dreary reality. A connection. Thank you, Maggie.

A version of this review is published by The Modern Record

Maximo Park – Barrowland Ballroom

Live music, Music Review

Paul Smith is selling socks at the Barrowlands.

“We’ve got three-hundred pairs to shift,” the Maximo Park frontman tells his attendant audience, “and tea towels!” Hosiery and kitchen linens may not be conventional stock at most indie rock concerts but in the face of unsustainable economic structures and an industry in crisis, creative merchandising is a necessity. It isn’t enough to simply write, record and release great songs because no-one pays for great songs; artists have to sell stuff, and sell well, to finance their musical endeavours and basic living. Having great songs will help though.

To this end Maximo Park have hit the road to tout their wares throughout the UK. As Smith explains at one point, “We had a single. We wanted to tour the single hence, the Singular Tour.” Following the release of their nearly chart-topping seventh studio album, Nature Always Wins, in 2021, and a run of sold out shows across the country just over 12 months ago, the band are now treating audiences to a Maximo Park retrospective comprising “only the singles” – and for tonight, one B-side – with each city’s set containing select songs voted for in advance by the local fan base.

Dutch outfit Pip Blom are tasked with warming up the steady stream of early arrivals. Their formula of sugary vocals and occasionally fuzzy guitars is a bright and effervescent delight, dynamically building through the bluesy lilt of Tinfoil into the grungy Pussycat before overflowing with quaint garage-pop on Keep It Together. Heads are bopping throughout the crowd. It’s a good sign.

The Park’s set, by contrast, takes more than a moment to find its rhythm and direction. Or rather it opens with a certain rhythm, alternating consistently between crooners and kickers, before switching to a smooth, upward cadence for the latter half. The aforementioned B-side, The Night I Lost My Head, comes out of nowhere within the first three songs and, while a generally energetic bop, it sits incongruous to the more mellow grooves of Leave This Island and Hips and Lips which follow. The crowd are undeniably into it though. “If you wanna do a bit of dancing I will also do a little shuffle” Smith declares, as if he had no plans to move otherwise.

This isn’t a nostalgia trip proper and it’s evident that the nature of the tour has been successful in drawing out fans of each and every part of the band’s catalogue. The emphasis of the singles tour is on songs all people (theoretically) will have heard, not just die-hard or historic fans, and as such the audience has a more diverse emotional investment in this set. No song is ever met with indifference despite some having not felt the spotlight for a few years.

“Stay hydrated; we’ve got a lot of hits to get through” Smith quips, semi tongue-in-cheek, before launching into The National Health, during which the audience are surprisingly well-behaved. This one used to be quite a rager. It’s not much longer though before pints are flying and Smith is leaping, scissoring the air, illuminated in deep red and blinding white; the tones of A Certain Trigger. A thickset man is propped up on shoulders during Karaoke Plays and the atmosphere is becoming intensely sentimental.

Great Art, the single that precipitated this roadshow, repackages the band’s typically poetic social commentary while deploying as iconic an earworm as Radio 1 could ever hope for. It’s a popular one across the generations of listeners in attendance and serves to unify the energy from the stage all the way to the lighting desk. What follows from this point could be described as a passionate ascension which says as much about the music as it does about the band-audience relationship.

The intense romance of Questing, Not Coasting, a song about “falling in love in a thunderstorm”, has fists punching the air and arms swaying hypnotically. Our Velocity is a perfect song, worthy of dissertation, that somehow delivers more with every performance – especially in this room. The Kids Are Sick Again feels weighty and poignant, perhaps more than it ever has.

“If this is your first gig, welcome to Maximo Park. This is for you!” Smith announces before walking to the side of stage, allowing spotlights to focus attention on Duncan Lloyd’s silhouette and coarsely chiming guitar intro to Going Missing, the band’s first ever single. The crowd response is unparalleled with sustained, rapturous applause and spontaneous stamping. The same follows Books From Boxes, arguably the most beloved of fan-favourites, leaving Smith speechless for a few moments before humbly declaring, “This is why we do it.”

The set concludes with superb renditions of Versions Of You and Apply Some Pressure, both immaculate demonstrations of the band’s musical ethos and proof that the key to artistic longevity lies not in sales techniques or creative merchandising but in perfecting one’s craft. Great songs are what really matter. They drill this point home with a masterclass of an encore; Midnight On The Hill, Girls Who Play Guitars and Graffiti. Smith introduces his bandmates over relentless cheering, finally stating “My name is Paul and I’ve had a wonderful time”. You can’t half tell as he lingers long on the stage, radiating joy and gratitude, and basking in its elated reciprocity.

Here’s hoping they sold a lot of socks, because they certainly rocked plenty off.

A version of this review was published by The Modern Record

Maximo Park – Boiler Shop

Live music, Music Review

Maximo Park kicked off their first proper UK headline tour in four years with an exuberant sold-out hometown show at Newcastle’s Boiler Shop on Saturday night. Having been rescheduled from the early summer due to ongoing restrictions the show took place just two and half weeks since the band last performed in the city. On that occasion a small run of shows celebrating their 2007 sophomore album Our Earthly Pleasures was offered in gratitude and as an incentive to fans who bought their newest album Nature Always Wins which charted at number 2 in the UK upon its release back in February. A series of album release out-stores was also scheduled in late August with a couple of festival slots thrown in as well, so in actual fact the band should have been in the full swing of national touring by now.

A lot can change very quickly in these times however, as we’re all acutely aware, and in the intervening period singer Paul Smith contracted, isolated and “recovered” from Covid-19, and so the first spark of magic around this night is that it even happened at all. Knowing the type of energetic performance Maximo Park usually deliver, it’s not unreasonable to think they might have delayed to allow Smith more time to restore his stage-fitness. Yet in taking a risk and going ahead, under the circumstances, they gave a performance that redefined audience expectations and the very concept of leaving it all on the stage.

Beautifully matched in support for this tour is the charming indie pop of Chester’s Peaness, who take as much delight in saying their band name as the audience does in hearing it. They seemed genuinely unfazed by the scale of the event or the weight of their responsibility, and their performance rightly carried an air of confidence and easy-going frivolity. Despite their dinner order not arriving in time to eat before going on stage they were utterly delightful, bopping and thumping their way through a set of tight harmonies and catchy refrains, welcoming all latecomers in from the bitter rain and wind outside.

From the moment Maximo Park walked on stage the atmosphere was thick with a kind of heavy joy and sparkling excitement; the room was ablaze with anticipation. For many people this was their return to live music and the band, knowingly, pitched a set to allow for maximum relief and release. New songs featured strongly throughout and were received with astonishing fervour. There can be no denying the singalong quality of recent singles like Baby, Sleep or I Don’t Know What I’m Doing but even the quirky stop-start ambling of Child of the Flatlands was met with grateful enthusiasm. “Thanks for going on that psychedelic journey with us there” Smith quipped when it was done. An interesting mix of iconic hits and obscure singles representing each of their six previous albums fleshed out the set, a particular highlight being Calm from 2009’s often neglected Quicken The Heart album. It was obvious from their response to each and every song that this was a crowd at capacity with love for the band and their music. Such rapturous, spontaneous and sustained applause might have felt excessive in pre-pandemic life but “in the parlance of our times”, as Smith referred to it, the greatest and most authentic expression of appreciation is surely a whoop and a clap. The band clearly felt it too; their joy at the exchange and pure thrill of performing live again couldn’t be contained and lit up their faces relentlessly.

If Paul Smith was feeling any lingering effects of illness on his lungs he didn’t let it show through his voice, neither his pitch nor sustain was impaired – in this writer’s opinion it was perhaps his best vocal performance of the year so far, and whether this was down to some extra effort in preparing to tour post-virus or simply a quality of the room on the night, it was undeniably powerful. While he purported to be losing his voice towards the end of the main set he still mustered a scissor kick during Books From Boxes, then when he admitted he was succumbing to fatigue the band blasted through a hyper rendition of Limassol before taking a quick break and returning for a three-song encore.

              “As you can clearly see / I’ve lost some luminosity / I hadn’t bargained for such intensity”

The opening lyric to Partly Of My Making bore a tangible irony that the audience seemed to relish. It’s not the easiest count if you’re dancing or swaying along but vocally the crowd gave as good as they got out of it. Had it not been demanded so emphatically the band probably could have gotten away without an encore, given the dazzling intensity of the first sixteen songs. But of course, they hadn’t played Apply Some Pressure by that point either and with each passing song and Smith’s energy waning there was a hint of disbelief when the moment finally came to close out the night with such a potent song. More than ever live music proves to be a healing force and Maximo Park know just how to deliver that vital medicine.

The Big Moon – Summerhall

Live music, Music Review

If there was ever any question over the popularity of guitar bands in the last few years consider this; The Big Moon are on their second round of touring through the UK since releasing their sophomore record at the beginning of January. And they’ve only gone and sold the place out! Following on from a successful run of shows supporting Bombay Bicycle Club earlier in the month they return to Scotland on the very last – leap – night of February to headline Edinburgh’s Summerhall.

Anticipation is palpable with a queue snaking down the stairs and out into the courtyard. Fans are eager to get in early and snag a good position. They’re also keen to look the part and the merch table is already busy flogging t-shirts and albums; a positive sign for any artist in the streaming age but especially for new and breaking bands.

There’s a big portion of the audience already in place when tour support Prima Queen take to the stage. They don’t say much for the first few songs and only really get chatty before the end of the set when they mention that their bassist got dumped 20 minutes before soundcheck – “so rock’n’roll” – and that they put their band name on the drums because they forgot to mention it at previous shows. The mood is light and the band have a great chemistry on stage. Lead vocals are shared between guitarists Louise MacPhail and Kristin McFadden. They have that kind of effortlessly powerful command of harmonies, familiar to fans of boygenius and Alvvays, and with tones and melodies made for summer festival afternoons blissing out under blue skies. It’s a gentle kind of warm up set that closes out with “Milk Teeth” and “Mexico” and leaves the crowd slightly swaying, slightly nodding, ready for the main event.

From the moment The Big Moon appear there’s a buzzing warmth in the room. It’s not quite Beatles hysteria but it’s damn infectious! They meet that audience energy with the scratchy jangle of debut album opener Sucker which, despite its usual dynamic shifts, remains buoyant throughout. They follow up swiftly with the pulsing disco vibe of Don’t Think before settling into a lyrical groove with Take A Piece. The new songs are just as enthusiastically received as those from the band’s Mercury nominated 2017 release Love In The 4th Dimension despite being vastly different in both sound and subject matter. Of course in the live setting there’s minimal production to hide behind and every catchy chorus and driving guitar feels just as vibrant and raw as it should. Lyrically, Juliette Jackson’s direct and literal style is engaging whether lamenting youthful relationships, wrestling inner demons or staring defiantly into the void. Witty couplets cut through the repetitive choruses and reconnect the audience with the characters and emotions at the heart of each song. There’s flutes, there’s sing-alongs, there’s even a Fatboy Slim cover, either side of which Jackson is off the stage and down on the barrier leading “a gentle song with some yelling at the end” (Waves) followed by a riotous crowd favourite (Bonfire). The end comes around too quickly for fans who are vigorous in their applause and even after the last song, after the house music starts playing, are unwilling to accept that there won’t be an encore tonight. Naturally it’s disappointing for everyone who wanted to hear more from the band but there’s something so heartening about an authentic rock performance that elicits such an organic reaction from those present. It’s refreshing. It’s invigorating. It’s healthy. Guitar bands like Prima Queen and The Big Moon are good for the health of the industry.

Bear’s Den – Newcastle University Student Union

Live music, Music Review

On their second round of touring in the UK this year Bear’s Den have perfected a balance between arena rock and acoustic folk, packing out large clubs while performing with astonishing intimacy to an ever expanding and keenly devoted fan base.

The second-to-last night of this run finds the band, performing as a six-piece, in the rather sleek subterranean venue of Newcastle University’s Student Union. It’s not the grandest space they’ve entertained but it’s also not the shabbiest. From touring heavily in their early years, Bear’s Den have learned to work a lot of different rooms, on any given night of the year; a crowded university basement on a Sunday night is well within their command. And anyway there’s a kind of calm to November gigs that suits this music; when the nights start drawing in early, everyone switches to their heavier coats, as the air densifies with cold and skies become a little less stable. Summer isn’t long forgotten but folk are still happy to be indoors; it’s hygge season, and it’s the ideal climate for a Bear’s Den gig.

This evening’s kindling, the first of two support sets, is provided by Tusks, the spine-tingling musical endeavour of Londoner Emily Underhill. She’s on double duties tonight, opening the show and running the merch table, and yet with only 20 minutes allocated to get this one job done she doesn’t force a performance, easing herself and the audience gently into her mesmeric melodies. Underhill sings graciously through her register, at times slipping into a soft falsetto, but she is at her most affecting when she employs her high, full voice, as on the stunning title track to her latest LP Avalanche. Quieter moments like Demon (“…it’s actually a love song”) test the warmth of the early crowd and, gratefully, they seem to be thawing.

At 8pm the crowd has almost trebled, with a restless rabble engulfing the room as Flyte take to the stage. Although technically now a trio, since the departure of keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist Sam Berridge earlier this year, Flyte have maintained their full-bodied soundscape and delighted audiences throughout the summer with the addition of Jessica Staveley-Taylor (aka “Jess from The Staves” aka “one-third of The Staves”) into their line-up. Opening with a couple of songs from their debut album The Loved Ones, the set is kind of a slow burn up to White Roses, after which the crowd is a lot more settled and receptive. It’s just as well because the band follow this up with their breath-taking a capella cover of Alvvays’ Archie, Marry Me which, if you haven’t heard it, is about the kindest bit of self care you can offer your ears, at any time of year. Go; look it up now and feel the nourishment! They finish off with two crackers in Cathy Come Home and the glowing album opener Faithless.

The stage is dark before Bear’s Den emerge; a disorienting red aura fills the air as the unusually dramatic but iconic opening of Thus Spake Zarathustra heralds the main event. There’s no denying that this particular piece of music will heighten the anticipation of anyone’s arrival but Bear’s Den are not the showiest of bands, so it’s only fitting that they don’t actually walk on until the theme has played out in full; the gag is funnier when they don’t take it to that obvious, excessive conclusion. Humour is one of the band’s many charms.

Leading off with Fuel On The Fire, Elysium and Dew On The Vine, the set has a fairly similar running order to previous shows on the So that you might hear me tour, with the inclusion of two brand new tracks from the band’s forthcoming Only Son of the Falling Snow EP. The first of these is the title track which lead singer Andrew Davie describes as “a kind of Christmas carol, reflecting back over your life”. True to form, it’s a sorrowful meditation backed by some incongruous major chords and uplifting trumpet. It’s glorious. This is followed up with the – possibly even more exquisite – piano-lead ballad The Star of Bethnal Green, which takes its name from a pub adjacent the studio where Kev Jones conceived it. The lyrics paint love as a spiritual experience, at once inspiring, hopeful and comforting. Even in its relatively bare form it feels brighter than most songs in the Bear’s Den catalogue. And as festive folk songs go it’s no less than butterfly-inducing! It’d be show-stopping but Bear’s Den control their own inertia and it’s from here straight into Crow, a bona fide tear-jerker that depicts grief in a way that is uniquely Bear’s Den.

Davie has a knack for relating extraordinary human emotions through deeply personal experiences; his inclusion of very specific details, dates, names, locations, renders a stronger and more immediate connection to the particular events or relationships he’s recounting, as in Hiding Bottles and Above The Clouds of Pompeii, but his broader language leaves scenes open for listeners’ own attachments. This manner of lyricism, this telling-all-without-telling-everything style of writing is one of the reasons fans become so endeared to the band; seeing themselves and their lives in the songs, feeling connected in their shared humanity. At its very least live music is a communal experience.

The unpretentious, candid honesty of their delivery further sets the band apart, such as when they go “off-mic” to hear the crowd singing along to Magdelene. When they unplug completely to perform Don’t Let The Sun Steal You Away unamplified from the edge of the stage it receives one of the loudest rounds of applause all night, igniting the band and setting them on a skyward trajectory. These moments are unique to each crowd no matter how many times the band plays the same set of songs.

The Love That We Stole sounds bigger and bolder than it ever has. The guitars grow louder across Red Earth & Pouring Rain as heavy red light flickers. After the threatening and thunderous build on When You Break, driving and anthemic Auld Wives feels like respite. So much for the calm! The “last song” and “encore” are exposed as conventions but when the band return after a brief period of rousing applause they offer the sincerest and humblest thanks. And when they step out into the centre of the audience to perform Blankets of Sorrow they bring the communal experience to another level of intimacy. It’s a cosy place to be on a Sunday night in November.

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival 2019

Festivals, Live music, Music Review

Driving south on the A9 through heavy rain and roadworks, the euphoric sunshine of the past 3 days seems almost otherworldly. Through the misty grey comes a flood of memories; of music, dancing, food; friends, family and strangers – aliens – and did I see a polar bear? Only at Belladrum!!

In its 16th incarnation the Highlands’ biggest music event remains one of a kind, not just for the region but within the global festival community. Boasting an extensive yet eclectic line-up of domestic and international talent, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival is renowned for being a festival for all ages and musical interests. Nearly every genre is represented across its programme and the festival site itself accommodates multi-generational entertainment through everything from puppet-making and zorbing, to extreme sports, slam poetry, yoga, stand-up comedy, even burlesque workshops. And all that is without mentioning any of the chart-toppers on the bill. Anyone who thinks there isn’t much going on north of the central belt needs to get out more!

It’s not possible to single-handedly give a fully comprehensive rundown of the magic that played out over the course of this year’s Belladrum so here instead is simply 10 of the best bits.

1. The Sunshine

If you’ve been to a muddy festival before then you can already appreciate what a difference a little sun can make. The absence of rain throughout the duration of Bella meant not only that the ground was pretty stable to get around on, but it was also blissfully comfortable above 19°C for most of the day. Perfect conditions for hanging out with friends and family, having a picnic or a wee gin cocktail (because when there’s a dedicated Gin Palace how could you not?) and listening to great music in the warm evening air. It’s not always like this, as the veterans hasten to point out, so top mention has to go to mother nature: she nailed it this weekend.

2. The Sci-Fi Theme

Each year Belladrum gives itself over to a specific theme, designing areas of the site to reflect a certain aesthetic or attitude and inspiring patrons to expand their knowledge base in a particular direction. The theme for 2019 being Science Fiction, fancy dress took in all sorts of creative endeavours with Trekkies and Wookies, and even more abstract creatures popping up around the site. I spied Marty and Doc heading into the Venus Flytrap Palais while I was queuing for risotto. In addition but on the flipside of that was the Bella Boffinarium, set up to showcase “Science Fact” with presentations on astronomy, technology, rewilding and modern environmentalism. There was even an interactive aviation drama roaming around. Belladrum is special for a lot of different reasons and its dedication to presenting a theme that is engaging on so many levels is definitely one of the things that sets it apart.

But then, some music.

3.  Fat Suit

This funk fusion ensemble brought the sunshine inside the Hothouse on Thursday afternoon with radiant sax and trumpet, glittering guitar and soulful keyboards. From the moment they walked on stage the crowd was down to boogie and the band delivered just the right grooves to keep them moving. If yoga wasn’t your thing, Fat Suit could do plenty to loosen you up.

4. Wildwood Kin

What more can genetically perfected harmonies bring to the British Americana scene that we haven’t seen before? Perhaps not a lot, even with gifted multi-instrumentalists Wildwood Kin. But there’s absolutely nothing more enjoyable than hearing brilliant songs performed well. With the audience hanging on their every gorgeous note you couldn’t help swooning for the Devon trio. Latest singles “Never Alone” and “Beauty In Your Brokenness” were both shimmering and powerful.

Wildwood Kin

5. Man of Moon

Still yet to release their debut LP, the Edinburgh two-piece are evolving from a mildly psychedelic grunge act into some glorious electro-rock outfit with heavy shoegaze undertones. Drawing comparisons to Depeche Mode and The Twilight Sad doesn’t quite do justice to what they deliver in the live setting. The dynamic between singer/guitarist Chris Bainbridge and drummer Michael Reid is in constant flux and, without being unsettling, songs like “I Run” and “Skin” play out with exciting twists and turns. Consistently one of the best live bands of the last few years, they proved their sound is ready for the big stages.

6. Boy Division

Being moved from the Bella Bar Stage to the Seedlings Stage made this performance feel even more intimate and special for Divisionists (every great pop act has to have a name for their fan collective, right?) and the upgrade seemed to benefit Chris, Noah and Kieran as well, as they delivered note-perfect harmonies with seamless choreography throughout their brief but breathtaking performance. Pop music is streaming forward with unparalleled levels of self-awareness and these guys are already cresting the wave.

Boy Division

7. Ferris and Sylvester

Like every great song that finishes too soon, Ferris and Sylvester’s Grassroots stage set left their audience wanting. From the high energy blues-folk of “Burning River” to the aching sweetness of “Flying Visits” with one microphone between them, they commanded attention in the kindest possible way.

Ferris and Sylvester

8. Glasvegas

Given the honour of headlining the Hothouse Stage up against fellow Glaswegians Chvrches, Glasvegas were the perfect antithesis of their Garden Stage peers. Mere silhouettes against a wash of red and white lights, they allowed their songs to swell and cascade out over the enormous crowd that couldn’t be contained by the walls of the sweaty tent. Spontaneous singalongs erupted frequently and singer James Allen noted that the audience participation on acoustic track “Whitey” would go down as his highlight of the festival. It was spirited and emotional from start to end, and heartening to see the band still at the top of their live game.

9. Self Esteem

Probably the most impressive and enjoyable performance of the whole weekend, Rebecca Taylor as Self Esteem is everything pop music should be in 2019; witty, honest, fun. With her band dressed all in red and working through some sultry tongue-in-cheek dance routines, while singing poignant and catchy songs about sexuality, relationships and identity, she is the musical role model you wish mass media was championing instead of the next vapid internet fad. Emphasis on the fun.

Self Esteem

10. Lewis Capaldi’s Reception

With a genuine talent and charm like Capaldi’s there’s not much point discussing his performance. It was great, as expected. The atmosphere when he came onstage however, that was something else. It’s hard to say accurately how many of Belladrum’s 20,000 capacity crowd was actually in front of the Garden Stage at 8pm on Saturday night but it was a majority. Like a big majority. An unprecedented volume by all accounts. And the atmosphere was incomparable. I’ve been to plenty of festivals and stadium shows and I’ve heard some screams. Capaldi’s arrival was met with the kind of noise that makes you think defenders over your earplugs would have been a good shout. Tinnitus on command. It was equally the most terrifying and exciting moment I’ve experienced in the photo pit; I wouldn’t like to do it again but I’d recommend it to anyone. And what’s more it was sustained. It was as if the crowd had been sparing themselves all weekend waiting for this one set. Even if you didn’t like the guy’s music you couldn’t help but stand in awe of what he brought to the event.

Lewis Capaldi

All that said, there were a few weak spots; the overcrowding around the Garden Stage for Lewis Capaldi created tension as security had to restrict access while some folk tried to reserve spaces with hazardous camping chairs or blankets. Arguments on the periphery and discomfort in the middle felt very much like a catastrophe waiting to happen. At the same time Peat & Diesel were letting rip in the Hothouse and that too required added crowd-control measures that felt about as dangerous as the crowd crush itself with punters corralled inside the tent.

The impact of crowding was further demonstrated in traffic queues entering and, especially, leaving the site with some patrons reporting waits of 3 to 5 hours to vacate the carpark. A good service of shuttle buses from Inverness city centre helped to manage the flow of day visitors but delays could be further alleviated with the addition of a park and ride nearby to reduce the volume of cars accessing the property directly down the tiny roads. Density on site meant mobile functionality was reduced. It wasn’t the lack of Snapchat and Instagram so much that was frustrating, but trying to find friends or family to coordinate meals, transport and basic welfare was a bit of a nightmare. For the most part these were minor gripes and the overall feedback around the festival grounds was naturally very positive again this year.

The one major blight on Belladrum is still the masses of rubbish it generates in an otherwise pristine community. The use of disposables at a festival of this scale is unnecessary and does nothing to encourage respectful or resourceful behaviour. It’s 2019; dropping plastic cups anywhere is unacceptable.

Hopefully these are matters the new owners will look to address moving forward with the festival, to maintain the safety and sustainability of their wonderfully warm, family-friendly event. For now, with the many musical blessings of this year playing over in our minds, as the rain sets in to soothe and cleanse the grounds the countdown to Belladrum 2020 can begin.

The National – Castlefield Bowl

Live music, Music Review

On the third night of Manchester’s Sounds Of The City open air festival music fans who defied the forecast of evening showers were rewarded with an immersive and exhilarating performance by one of American indie rock’s keystone bands, The National. Opening their European summer tour with a one-off headline show ahead of some festival dates provided the band with a unique opportunity to showcase latest album I Am Easy To Find, while polishing up some old favourites, in front of an enthusiastic 8000-capacity crowd.

While many punters were still arriving the early support slot was filled by Nashville-based artist Adia Victoria. The singer spared no effort getting the crowd warmed up under the densely humid afternoon sky. Her sometimes-husky voice and sultry melodies, accompanied by occasional twirls and a sway of hips infused the performance with a powerful sensuality that contrast to the themes of songs like “Devil Is A Lie” and “The Needle’s Eye”. Finishing on the creeping groove of “Different Kind Of Love”, Victoria makes it clear she’s here for a good time, if not a long time.

When the headliners take to the stage there’s a peculiar feeling of anticipation. Singer Matt Berninger appears to be in a light-hearted mood, ducking behind the piano as the crowd erupts in applause. The feeling shifts almost immediately to one of serious concentration as the band lead off with a string of songs from their latest album. It’s always a shock to the system when an established band comes to tour new material. That initial excitement and apprehension about what they will play and how it will flow weighs on both the performers and their audience. In this set of 25 songs 12 come from I Am Easy To Find. It’s a lot to take on and there are some sound issues throughout the first half of the set where Berninger’s vocals are occasionally drowned out by guitars, synths and horns. There’s a lot of words and a lot of voices and on no fewer than 3 instances the frontman concedes he messed up his part. Exchanging melodies and harmonies with 3 stunning female vocalists in Eve Owen, Mina Tindle and Gail Ann Dorsey gives the new songs like “Oblivions” and “Where Is Her Head” a much stronger sense of collaboration which stands out against some of the older tracks like “Bloodbuzz Ohio” and “Apartment Story”.

The National performing at Castlefield Bowl, Manchester

There’s a defiant sense of progress about the setlist too; not only are there a lot of new songs but there are fewer and fewer very old songs. One of the things fans love about seeing The National live is that, yes there are certain favourites they will always play but no 2 nights will ever be the same. The band change up their set for every single show and there’s always some unexpected treats from the catalogue. In Manchester these included “Green Gloves” and “All The Wine” which bookended some amusing chat from Berninger about capitalism after he exchanged his seemingly unpleasant drink with a fan in the front row.

Another standard of The National’s live show is the moment of insanity that ensues every time Matt Berninger wades into the crowd. It’s as exciting as it is terrifying and yet he does it so regularly that the band almost don’t notice, but that wingmen/guitarists Aaron and Bryce Dessner intuitively know when to occupy front and centre stage. “Day I Die” sees one such moment, after which Berninger appears quite dishevelled, his crisp white shirt untucked and his glasses skewed. Yet he returns again during “Graceless” where the microphone is all but lost to the crowd and his voice is barely heard over the shout-singing of those around him. His antics are especially jovial late in the set. During “The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness” he interferes with Aaron Dessner’s guitar change and finds himself flirting with the edge of the stage before running and leaping into position for the opening lyric. At one point he coaxes a phone from someone in the crowd, taking it on stage to film his perspective before tossing it back into the melee.

The band close out the set with “Fake Empire” and a new crowd favourite “Rylan” just as the heavy sky starts to give way to a light mist. Berninger’s protracted departure from the stage sees him handing a bottle of wine from his personal stash into the crowd, followed by some cups. “Now I don’t even have time to pee before the encore” he complains. Not leaving without playing a final couple of songs from the new album, they push on with the encore as Berninger enters the crowd one final time during “Mr November”. He emerges at the end of it a somewhat changed man, mainly in that he is unable to hear the band clearly or keep up with “Terrible Love” until well into the bridge, at which point the Dessner’s take over and drown out whatever vocals remain to be heard.

Shenanigans have cost them time and as they set up the final songs, a typical crowd singalong with “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks” the venue hits its 10.30pm curfew and all amplification is silenced. Lights come on as the crowd leads line after line, drowning out all but a faint tambourine on the stage that keeps time until the last note is sung. Rain falls heavier, the louder the chorus rises until finally the gathering disperses by mutual agreement. Another one-of-a-kind night for fans, if not quite an auspicious show to kick off this tour.

Sheryl Crow – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Live music, Music Review

Having recently opened shows for the likes of legendary artists Phil Collins and the Eagles, Sheryl Crow is grateful to be back in front of her own audience for a while. With the promise of a two-hour set featuring “a bunch of old things and…some new things too” regulars know to expect a great night. For first-timers the setlist, front heavy with mega hits like “If It Makes You Happy” and “All I Wanna Do”, is a shock to the system and an assertive reminder of why Crow, now in her late 50s, has maintained a position as one of the most revered and sought-after songwriters and female vocalists for over 2 decades.

Her energy and enthusiasm is relentless and it’s clear Crow still enjoys playing the older songs. The crowd reacts with lively call and response singalongs and dancing in the aisles. Crow acknowledges, engaging audience participation, for at least as much as she can understand of the Glasgow accent and vernacular. She shies away from recent albums for the most part but introduces a few tracks from her forthcoming release Threads, due at the end of August. The first of these is “Prove You Wrong”, a collaboration with country star Maren Morris and rock veteran Stevie Nicks. It has an instant classic rock feel that tends a little formulaic towards the end but is no less enjoyable in the context of modern rock radio playlists. Another new single, “Live Wire”, comes under the blues influence of its contributors Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples, and is introduced with a cracking anecdote from the recording session with Staples. As one of the slower songs in the set – and it’s by no means a ballad – “Live Wire” is evidence that Crow still has the skill to craft a meaningful and catchy song without sounding like a rehash of former glories or a nostalgic tribute to the successes of youth.

Despite adhering mostly to the acoustic guitar throughout, Crow’s knack for creating rock anthems is indisputable and well supported by her six-piece band that includes two lead guitarists of equal genius in Audley Freed and Peter Stroud; the latter garnering extra attention from the singer for his “snazzy jacket” in addition to his expertise with the six-string. The sound is further embellished with Joshua Grange on pedal steel, Jen Gunderman on piano and Robert Kearns providing bass and particularly stand out vocals as a substitute for Joe Walsh on new duet “Still The Good Old Days”, a song that Crow admits is “about being my age”. Yet the clarity and ease of her voice on the opening of “The Difficult Kind” shows an ageless strength and beauty; her voice is as good as it’s ever been. Sadly, there are times when the full force of the band is too much and Crow’s still-powerful vocal is overwhelmed, mainly by the treble of her own guitar. It’s disappointing to experience this in a room like the Concert Hall which usually delivers perfectly balanced levels, for any genre or musical style. Nevertheless the crowd is on her side and she receives a standing ovation before she’s even finished the set. Admittedly, the performance of “Best Of Times” is well deserving; Crow takes her microphone from its stand and commands the stage from end to end with multiple charged harmonica solos, set against intense strobing as the band gathers around the drum kit to pool and play off  their collective energies.

The final song of the set, “Steve McQueen”, features Crow playing a glittery red, white and blue electric guitar while her two sons – acting as occasional guitar techs throughout the night – join in on maracas from behind the keyboards. When she returns for an encore she mentions that they spent their day over at the Glasgow Science Centre and had a great time taking in the city. She dedicates “Soak Up The Sun” to her Glasgow audience in honour of the beautiful weather, before closing out with a grand rendition of “Real Gone”. The crowd need no further persuasion and remain on their feet for the duration. Warmly received at the top of the show is Hebridean singer-songwriter Colin MacLeod, himself no stranger to opening some pretty big stages, having supported the likes of Van Morrison, Robert Plant and Roger Waters in the last twelve months alone. He played a brief but beautiful solo set of melancholic-sounding songs, drawn mainly from his 2018 debut Bloodlines, with two new songs performed on acoustic guitar sandwiched into the middle of his set. MacLeod shows himself to be a versatile performer; an accomplished guitarist as well as a gifted storyteller and songwriter, with a voice as warm and mellow as a 21 year old single malt.