Slash ft Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators @ the OVO Hydro Glasgow 3rd April 2024

On a rather dreich Wednesday afternoon I headed up the M8 unchaperoned. Yes. I know I had set off over four hours before the doors were due to open but there were AB family members to find and catch up with and to get a decent spot for the show was going to involve some serious queuing.

So who was I braving the elements to see this time? Slash ft Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators!

I’ll spare you the intervening hours and skip to doors open time at 6:30pm.

Thanks to some tag teaming by the various AB family members, we were all together, centre front at the rail. I was slightly behind two friends so technically not “on the rail” but it was close enough. Closer than I had expected to be. Happy days.

There was only one support act for the evening – the awesome Mammoth WVH. This was the fourth time I’d seen these guys in a support slot. Half an hour just isn’t enough! Fronted by the uber talented Wolfgang Van Halen (son of the late great Eddie Van Halen) these guys just keep getting better and better. Drummer Garrett Whitlock is an absolute beast behind that kit. Bassist Ronnie Ficaro is like the Duracell bunny bouncing while Wolfie quietly and skilfully does what he does best. He’s flanked by guitarists Jon Jourdan and Frank Sidoris who is pulling double duty on this tour. The chemistry is perfect. Highlights of the short six-song set for me were their set opener Another Celebration at the End of the World, the title track from the most recent album, Take a Bow and set closer, Don’t Back Down. Awesome stuff.

Take A Bow – Mammoth WVH @ OVO Hydro 03/04/24 (youtube.com)

The question on everyone’s lips is – when are we getting a UK headline tour, Wolfie?

Shortly before 8:45 the lights dimmed, and an almost tribal beat began before the sound morphed into something that sounded like the creepy intro for a monster movie. Two minutes later the lights pulsed and amid the screams and cheers, Slash, Myles and the Conspirators appeared in the shadows before exploding into the River is Rising from the latest album 4. Right from the off, this was a far slicker and sharper unit that had last played Glasgow in 2019.

River Is Rising – Slash ft Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators – show opener @ Hydro Glasgow 03/04/24 (youtube.com)

There was so much energy on display and more importantly they all looked to be enjoying themselves. Happy band leads to an awesome show and happy fans – musical maths.

Bassist Todd Dammit Kerns was dashing from one side of the stage to the other while Slash calmly got down to business at his side of the stage. Guitarist Frank Sidoris is the ultimate Mr Cool, although he did eventually shed the leather jacket later in the show, and he too quietly got on with his second role for the evening while drummer Brent Fitz kept the engine running from behind his kit. As for Myles Kennedy’s vocals….well we all know I may be slightly biased here but he was sounding oh so sweet.

Driving Rain from the Living the Dream album followed then came one of my personal favourites, Halo from Apocalyptic Love to round out the opening trio.

It certainly was time to get that Halo dirty with some! An SMKC show is good old-fashioned hard rock with just a smidgeon of sleaze. You just can’t beat it!

Back from Cali was another highlight early in the set for me. Love that song. (Sadly my camera malfunctioned and the video didn’t turn out)

Whatever Gets You By another track from 4 followed. This one showcased Myles’ percussion skills and his infamous triangle solo. He nailed it! Brilliant.

Todd Dammit Kerns stepped up to complete the vocal chores on the first of three songs he’d sing on the setlist. His cover of Lenny Kravitz’s Always On The Run was awesome. A larger-than-life performer, he has pipes to give Myles a run for his money.

Avalon from World On Fire followed.

Avalon – Slash ft Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators @ Hydro Glasgow 03/04/24 (youtube.com)

Next up, offering more than a hint of Eastern promise was Spirit Love, another track from 4. Love the dark moodiness of this one.

The first song Myles and Slash every wrote together came a couple of songs deeper into the 22-song set – Starlight. Another highlight moment for me. This one never grows old and is simply beautiful.

Wicked Stone offered Slash his longest guitar solo opportunity of the night. My main criticism of these guys the last time I saw them in 2019 was that the set had felt top heavy with extended solos. This 2024 edition has seen the balance restored. There is no denying the talent that Slash has at his fingertips. He finished this solo on five strings. Occupational hazard that didn’t faze him in the slightest.

This show was flying by way too fast.

Fill My World was one of two songs that I had been really looking forward to hearing live for the first time. It is definitely a firm favourite with all the animal lovers in the band and in the crowd. (The lyrics are written from Myles’ dog Mozart’s perspective of being left home alone and scared during a thunderstorm.) Instead of lighting the place up with the torches from the crowd’s phones, Myles asked everyone to show them their fur baby photos. Too cute. This song surpassed expectations. There’s so much emotion in the lyrics. Loved it.

Fill My World – Slash ft Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators @ Hydro Glasgow 03/04/24 (youtube.com)

How to follow that? You follow it with Tood’s third song of the night, Dr Alibi. Always a fun song and it lends itself perfectly to Todd’s larger than life personality.

Dr Alibi – Slash ft Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators @ Hydro Glasgow 03/04/24 (youtube.com)

You’re a Lie and World on Fire rounded out the main body of the set.

I waited with bated breath for the encore I’d sneaked a peek at the previous setlists from this tour and knew what was coming next.

With Slash on lap steel and Brent Fitz on piano, Rocket Man, the Elton John classic, opened the two-song encore. I adore this song and this arrangement of it. Myles’ vocals on this one are something special to behold, What a note he hit and held! It truly was a magical moment that will live with me for a long time. (Sadly, my camera malfunctioned again and failed to record the video – c’est la vie).

Anastasia had the honour of being the final song of the night. The crowd went wild as Slash played the opening notes of the classic intro.

For those who have been following this tour, Slash always jumps from the drum riser at the end of this one and he’s been encouraging Myles to do likewise. Myles did jump in Birmingham a few nights before. Tonight, though they went one better. At the end of Slash’s blistering solo, they both jumped in unison.  It really is a delight to see these guys having such fun on stage.

Slash ft Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators (live) – Anastasia – Hydro, Glasgow 2024 (youtube.com)

Credit to the owner Iain C via You Tube

All good things have to come to an end. Picks were thrown. Drumsticks were tossed into the crowd. Setlists were gifted to the lucky few. Everyone else left with musical memories that will last a long while in their hearts.

The Gaslight Anthem @ O2 Academy Glasgow 18th March 2024

On Monday evening, accompanied by Boy Child, I boarded the train to Glasgow. Rain clouds were gathering. By the time we got off the train, it was a damp trudge to the O2 Academy.

So, who were we braving the elements to see?

New jersey’s finest, The Gaslight Anthem.

The music Gods were shining on us even if the weather Gods weren’t and Boy Child snagged a great rail spot for the evening. Happy days!

There was only one support act for the evening – Emily Wolfe. We clearly had her #1 fan to our left, a female who screamed at deafening levels for every song throughout the 45-minute set. (Thank God for ear plugs!) I’m struggling to describe Emily Wolfe’s set. I had never listened to her before although I was aware of her as a guitarist. Emily Wolfe is a fantastic musician and an accomplished songwriter offering up a mix of grunge and blues influenced songs. She lost me for a bit two or three songs into her set but towards the end there were several heavier, faster paced songs. Would I go and see her again? Jury is still out there but Emily Wolfe did a solid job of warming up the sell-out crowd in time for the headliners taking to the stage.

It’s been almost six years since The Gaslight Anthem last played Glasgow (The ’59 Sound 10^th anniversary show at Barrowlands on 24 July 2018.) so it’s no surprise that tonight’s show is a sell-out. We’ve waited patiently for this one for a long time….

At 9:15, the lights dim as the intro tape plays (Kiss Me Deadly by Lita Ford) then out of the shadows amidst screams and cheers, emerged The Gaslight Anthem.

They kicked off their 22-song set with I Live in The Room Above Her from their current album History Books.

I Live in The Room Above Her (show opener) – The Gaslight Anthem @ O2 Academy Glasgow180324 (youtube.com)

Before us was a different Gaslight Anthem. Gone was frontman Brian Fallon’s Fender guitar. In its place, he was armed with a Gibson Explorer. To his right, guitarist Alex Rosamilia was armed with a Flying V. Gone too was Brian’s clean cut, short haired look. In its place was a more grungy, long haired, bearded look. (Not too sure of that to be honest)

While the official photographers clamoured for space in the pit, The Gaslight Anthem rounded out their opening trio with 1000 Years and 1930. The Scottish fans were hanging on their every note.

Next up was one of my favourites, Biloxi Parish from The Gaslight Anthem’s 2012 album Handwritten. There was an extra level of hoarseness/huskiness to Brian’s vocals, but he still sounded oh so sweet.

Biloxi Parish – The Gaslight Anthem @ O2 Academy Glasgow 180324 (youtube.com)

Perhaps its their style but something that always puzzles me about this band live is the lack of onstage interaction with each other. This was the third time I’ve seen them live and it has been noticeable on each occasion. Bassist Alex Levine rarely strays from his side of the stage all night, leaving half the crowd with barely a glimpse of him. The same can be said for Alex Rosamilia who was in front of us. Have the lines been drawn on the stage? This is my dance space and that’s yours….

The set was a balanced mix of favourites from the entire back catalogue plus four tracks from the current album History Books.

Another highlight song for me was the energetic Boomboxes and Dictionaries. Love the punk energy of this one but again it did sound as if Brian was struggling a bit with those vocals.

Boomboxes and Dictionaries – The Gaslight Anthem @ O2 Academy Glasgow 180324 (youtube.com)

The band were then joined onstage by Emily Wolfe who was asked “You wanna play a song?” In fact, she joined the boys for two songs. The first was the gorgeous The Weatherman from History Books then the awesome Blue Jeans and White T-shirts. Ms Wolfe fitted nicely right in.

The Weatherman – The Gaslight Anthem with Emily Wolfe @ O2 Academy Glasgow 180324 (youtube.com)

Oh, this show was flying in far too fast…

Brian had already informed the capacity crowd that they would play right up to the 11pm curfew and when they left the stage that would be it. No encores. And play they did!

Several of my personal favourites made it into the latter part of the show including Mulholland Drive, 45, The ’59 Sound (love love love that one) and The Backseat.

As the clock ticked closer to 11pm, The Gaslight Anthem closed out their set with We’re Getting a Divorce, You Keep the Diner from 2007’s Sink or Swim album. A suitably rowdy crowd-pleasing end.

There will be no divorces from these loyal fans, guys, so please don’t leave it another six years before you return.

Dirty Honey at Oran Mor, Glasgow 7th February 2024

Allowing plenty of time for roadworks and rush hour traffic, I headed up the M8 towards Glasgow on Wednesday. First stop, apart from traffic jams, was Shields Rd then a quick trip on the subway out to Hillhead, before a short chilly walk to the venue for the evening, Oran Mor.

The weather Gods were being semi-kind – it was dry, but it was bitterly cold. Having met Mr D at the venue, we formed a disorderly queue with a friend of his down at the basement door into the venue. No idea why but the rest of the queue stayed up at pavement level….one of life’s mysteries.

Doors were late as everything was running behind schedule. One bonus though was that we got to hear the bands sound checking from outside. It was almost 7:30 before the doors finally opened.

So, who was I freezing to death to see? The incredible Dirty Honey.

The perfect rail spot secured (thanks to Mr D) there wasn’t long to wait before the opening band took to the very crowded stage.

There was only one support act for the evening and for the second time Danko band from Falkirk had the honour of getting things going. These boys had been the support band in January 2023 when Dirty Honey last played in Glasgow at SWG3. The small stage was cluttered with so much gear that there was precious little room for the Danko band. The lack of space and headroom curtailed the Pete Townshend style moves of the band’s bass player somewhat.

Having told the growing audience that they were from Falkirk, the rowdy drunks behind me starting shouting “For the wheel” and “For the Kelpies” whenever there was gap in and between songs. That joke very quickly wore thin and certainly detracted from my enjoyment of Danko band’s set. From the shout from the back “to be quiet” about the Kelpies and the wheel, I perhaps wasn’t the only one feeling this way.

Did they set the world on fire with their half-hour set? Probably not. Did they warm, up the crowd for Dirty Honey? Yes, I guess they did.

I’m sure “the wheel” and “the Kelpies” appreciated the adoration too.

At 8:45 with timings back on track, Dirty Honey stepped out on stage to kick off their UK tour and their set with the title track from their recent album Can’t Find The Brakes.

Front man Marc LaBelle is super skilful at working a crowd. Wearing a sheepskin coat (Scottish temperatures in February are a far cry from their hometown of LA) and his trademark hat and shades, he had the capacity crowd in the palm of his hand from the very first note.

The superb California Dreamin’ followed and was definitely one of many high points in the band’s sixteen song set.

This was the third time I’d been fortunate enough to see Dirty Honey in an intimate venue. (Oran Mor’s capacity is 550). The chemistry on stage between Marc LaBelle, bassist Justin Smollian, guitarist John Notto and drummer Jaydon Bean is oh so sweet.

Dirty Honey are a finely tuned machine.

Scars, from their first record, was another highpoint of the set for me. An extended intro with a hint of Eastern promise saw the stage flanked either side by Justin Smollian and John “Fuckin” Notto before Marc LaBelle stepped up front and centre. The sheepskin coat had been cast aside a couple of songs earlier, freeing Marc up to move more fluidly around the stage.

Scars – Dirty Honey @ Oran Mor Glasgow 07/02/24 (youtube.com)

Tied Up is always a firm fan favourite. The Scottish fans didn’t need much encouragement to sing their hearts out on the chorus to this one.

Next came another of my personal favourites, Coming Home from Can’t Find The Brakes. Love this one! It was real treat to hear it played live. It was somewhat marred by the eejits behind shouting over Marc’s heartfelt words about the song and the intro and first verse as they tried and failed to get John Notto’s attention. Coming Home is a beautiful song and was sung straight from the heart. This one is just a little bit special.

Coming Home – Dirty Honey @ Oran Mor Glasgow 07/02/24 (youtube.com)

This gig was flying by way too fast.

Dirty Honey played two cover songs during their eighty-minute set. With an inspired Southern/country vibe (think Duelling Banjos), the Scottish fans were left spellbound by the boys’ rendition of Honky Tonk Woman. Each member of the band is oozing talent but John Notto’s playing on this one blew me away. Stunning stuff.

A few songs later, Dirty Honey delivered a spellbinding cover of Prince’s Lets Go Crazy. They truly owned this one before moving swiftly into another fan favourite The Wire.

The Wire – Dirty Honey @ Oran Mor Glasgow 07/02/24 (youtube.com)

The boys from LA rounded out the main body of their set with When I’m Gone. The capacity crowd, by now slightly hoarse and more than a little out of tune (blame the beer), sang along enthusiastically.

The end was nigh… but Glasgow didn’t disappoint. The small gap between the boys’ departure from the stage and their return for their two-song encore was ably filled with by the fans chanting “Here we, here we, here we fucking go” If only Dirty Honey had played along and joined in…next time perhaps.

Dirty Honey returned to the stage to a rowdy welcome and powered straight into Won’t Take Me Alive. Cue more passionate out of tune, crowd singing.

Won’t Take Me Alive – Dirty Honey @ Oran Mor Glasgow 07/02/24 (youtube.com)

The final song of the night began with the band introductions and solos. First up was the funky bass solo from Justin, this was followed by Jaydon’s blistering drum solo (love me a good drum solo) then finally John Notto held everyone spellbound while he played a mind-blowing bluesy solo. Oh, that was good for the soul, sir. Solos and introductions complete, Dirty Honey brought proceedings to a climax with another of my favourites, Rolling 7’s. Safe to say Dirty Honey blew the roof off the place.

Rolling 7s – Dirty Honey @ Oran Mor Glasgow 07/02/24 (youtube.com)

What a show!

Florence Black @ Classic Grand, Glasgow 1st February 2024

Finally, the day had dawned- my first gig of 2024! And I was flying solo for this one!

Having travelled by train into Glasgow, I made my way down Union St towards the venue. Not only was this the first outing of the year but it was the first trip to this particular venue for me. Where was I headed?  Classic Grand.

When I arrived about 6:20pm there were already a handful of folk forming a queue. About twenty minutes later three of my “AB Family” joined the queue slightly further down the line. We exchanged a few words when they arrived, and I agreed to snag a spot for us for the evening as I was nearer the head of the line. Happy days.

Oh…and who were we queuing to see? Wales’s finest trio, Florence Black.

The stairs up to the main room in Classic Grand should come with a health warning! Damn there’s a lot of them! Having caught my breath, I snagged a rail spot for us slightly left of centre and waited for my AB Family to catch up.

There were three bands on the bill for the evening.

First out were Glasgow band, Eld Varg. These guys delivered a solid opening set of “Viking” metal. To my mind it was more “storyteller” metal (think Iron Maiden’s lengthy epic songs) but it was really engaging. A late addition to the bill, they proved a popular choice and swiftly had the growing crowd onside. Having commented that he needs to write shorter songs, front man Ollie announced that Wolfpack would be their fifth and final song for the night. I suspect it won’t be long before Eld Varg have a growing wolfpack following. Great start to the evening. Check them out online.

James and the Cold Gun were the second support act but their more punk, Ramones- sue style wasn’t for me. Thumper Principle duly applied for the first time in 2024.

And moving swiftly on…

Shortly before 9:00pm, the lights dimmed, the LED lit backdrop flashed and pulsed then Florence Black took to the stage, opening their set with the title track from their new album, Bed of Nails. Awesome choice of opening song.

Bed of Nails – Florence Black @ Classic Grand Glasgow 01/02/24 (youtube.com)

These boys from Merthyr Tydfil set the bar high right from the get go.

This was the third time I’d seen Florence Black, and they just keep getting better and better…and louder and louder.

The sell out Glasgow show was the first show of their current UK tour and they pulled out all the stops. With the tour kicking off on the eve of the launch of their new album, Florence Black appeared to have taken a bit of a gamble with the set. Only two tracks from bed of Nails failed to make it onto the 18-song set. However the audience were happily lapping up the new music, enthusiastically embracing the new tunes.

One stand-out early in the set was Solid 9, a thunderous powerful offering.

Solid 9 – Florence Black @ Classic Grand Glasgow 01/02/24 (youtube.com)

These three guys are about as tight a unit as you can hope to see on stage, and everyone pulls their weight. Drummer Perry Davies adds his pipes to support front man Tristan Thomas’ vocals with bassist Jordan Evans also tackling his fair share of backing vocals. Not an ounce of talent is wasted.

Mid-set there was a short interlude, showcasing the fancy, almost psychedelic lighting before the boys were back out to deliver a storming rendition of Black Cat.

Black Cat – Florence Black @ Classic Grand Glasgow 01/02/24 (youtube.com)

This was followed by what is rapidly becoming my favourite track from Bed of Nails, The Forest. There was an air of Fleetwood Mac to the acoustic intro to this song. Tristan’s vocals on this one in particular were oh so sweet. Loved it.

There was one cover song on the setlist – Budgie’s Breadfan. Can’t say I’m a fan of that song but the capacity crowd loved it.

Zulu, one of my favourites, had the honour of rounding out the main body of the set. This was the song that introduced me to this band.

Zulu – Florence Black @ Classic Grand Glasgow 01/02/24 (youtube.com)

With the curfew looming, there was time for just one song in their encore and there could only be one choice. The honour of bringing the night to a close fell to the awesomely beautiful Sun and Moon. Love this song.

Sun & Moon – Florence Black @ Classic Grand Glasgow 01/02/24 (youtube.com)

If I had one small wish to have improved on this great night of music, it would have been “less smoke.” I’m hoping it was first night over exuberance that led to the billowing, choking clouds throughout the set. Despite the smoggy cloud inversion lingering over the room, five hundred fifty fans left with smiles on their faces, and most will already be counting the days until these guys return to town.

All in all, a great way to start 2024’s gig season.

2023 -the musical highlights

It’s reached that time of year again….

When I checked back, I made it to 15 shows this year and missed 3 because the real world had to take priority.

It all started back in January with Dirty Honey at SWG3 and ended at the O2 Academy with Corey Taylor.

So many musical memories created this year….

For me, things all kick off again on 1st Feb 2024 with Florence Black. I’ve seven gigs in the diary so far for 2024 and time will tell regarding how many more get added.

Have a fabulous Christmas and may your 2024 rock! \m/

Corey Taylor @ O2 Academy Glasgow 12th November 2023

Last gig of the year….

On a dreich Sunday night, chauffeured by Boy Child, I headed up the M8 towards Glasgow. Thanks to the LEZ, early “last” trains and subway, we parked at Shields Road park and ride and walked the last mile to the O2 Academy.

It was raining (thanks for that Weather Gods) and it was a tad on the chilly side. Well, it is November in Scotland I suppose.

So, who were we braving the elements to see?

Corey “Mother Fuckin’” Taylor, that’s who!

By the time the doors opened at 7pm, we were soaked and chittering.

There had been two separate VIP parties, so we knew there was zero chance of a rail spot for the night. That said, Boy Child snagged a great spot about four rows off the rail.

There was only one support act for the evening- Oxymorrons from New York. This was a new band to me and initially I wasn’t too sure of their hybrid rap/hip hop/ rock delivery but within a song or two they had won me over. With brothers Demi (Deee) and Kamy (KI) sharing the vocal chores, this four-piece crammed 12 songs into their 45-minute slot. The chemistry on stage between the two brothers and vocalist/bassist/guitarist Jake Paulino was great and the crowd fed from this energy.

Both Boy Child and I commented after their set that we’d love to see Oxymorrons out with Skindred. (Benji Webbe, that’s hint!)

Not my usual genre of choice but it works. Check out their new album Melanin Punks and judge for yourself.

Shortly after 9pm the houselights dimmed and The Box, the opening track from CMF2 rang out over the sellout crowd before the band took to the stage to open their 90-minute set with Post Traumatic Blues. The energy levels in the room were through the roof from the off.

Stone Sour’s Tumult followed then it was back to CMFT, Corey’s debut solo album for Black Eyes Blue

Corey Taylor (live) – Black Eyes Blue – 02 Academy, Glasgow 2023 – YouTube

(credits to the owner Iain C via You Tube)

With such a varied and extensive back catalogue to choose from, pulling together a 15-song set that was going to please all of the fans must have been a bit of a nightmare.

Mid-set the Slipknot fans in the room got to hear their first favourite. After a playful introduction that saw Corey thank the support act and then his bandmates – Christan Martucci and Zach Throne on guitar, Dustin Robert on drums and Eliot “Two Fingers” Lorango on bass- they powered into Before I Forget. Great solo from Zach Throne to kick it all off.

Corey Taylor (live) – Before I Forget (Slipknot cover) – O2 Academy, Glasgow 2023 – YouTube

(credits to the owner Iain C via You Tube)

Sad but true, one of the songs I had been excited to hear came next. One fan, off to my right, was ready and waiting in their “Patrick” costume. Yes, you’ve guessed it. The SpongeBob SquarePants theme came next, and the Scottish fans sang their hearts out. Metal fans are all big kids at heart but don’t tell anyone I told you.

Corey Taylor (live) – Spongebob SquarePants Theme (cover) – O2 Academy, Glasgow 2023 – YouTube

(credits to the owner Iain C via You Tube)

How to follow that? With Slipknot’s Snuff, one of the few Slipknot songs that I adore. Stunning performance.

This gig was going in far too fast. Up on stage, it was clear that the band were having as much fun as the fans. Corey commented that it wasn’t “the Barrowlands” but the atmosphere in the Academy was pretty damn close. About 5 years ago, Corey Taylor had told chat show host Larry King that Glasgow was his favourite city out with the USA to play and it showed.

The last song from current album CMF2 to make the set was the beautiful, dark and deeply emotional Midnight. Love this song but sadly my enjoyment of it was spoiled by two very loud, very drunk females who barged in-between Boy Child and I causing mayhem. (I honestly cannot understand why some folk only go to gigs to get shitfaced!)

My favourite Stone Sour song, Through The Glass, rounded off the main body of the set. Spine-tinglingly good.

Corey Taylor (live) – Through Glass (Stone Sour cover) – O2 Academy, Glasgow 2023 – YouTube

(credits to the owner Iain C via You Tube)

After a brief moment or two off stage (where a drunken brawl broke out in front of where we were standing – see previous comments regarding alcohol consumption and ability to handle it) Corey and the boys returned to the stage for a 2-song encore. Slipknot’s Duality lit up the room, but the second and final song of the night fell a bit short of the mark for me. Judging by the dip in the energy I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. As he introduced it, Corey explained that they had opted to learn a cover version specifically for the UK tour. They ended the night with Black Sabbath’s Fairies Wear Boots…

Leaving that song aside, it had been an awesome show and a fitting gig to end my 2023 gig schedule on.

Bring on 2024!

Rival Sons @ Barrowlands Glasgow 16th October 2023

Slightly earlier than usual (Yes, it was the 16:42 train again) Boy Child and I headed off to Glasgow on Monday night.

The weather Gods were in a better humour so our walk out to the iconic Barrowlands was nice and dry – whew!

So, who were we off to see?

Long Beach’s finest sons, Rival Sons.

It had been four long years since we had last seen Rival Sons, so we were more than ready for this gig.

We joined a surprisingly short queue outside the venue around 6pm and were soon joined for the evening by Mr and Mrs McI. Happy days!

The rail Gods were smiling on us too as Boy Child secured a spot right in front of Scott Holiday for us.

There was only one support act for the evening and that was LA Edwards, also hailing from California. If that name’s ringing a bell, its because they supported The White Buffalo back in July. LA Edwards took to the stage at 7:45 and delivered a solid nine-song set. Since I last saw them in July, they seem to have added a little more oomph to their mellow Americana vibe. They certainly did a sound job of warming up the capacity crowd. Keyboard player Lenny is clearly gathering his own fan club. What’s not to love about his high kicking, animated approach to playing?  The most poignant moment of the set saw the three brothers come together to sing an acapella opening verse to Day I Die, a song dedicated to their mother.

All in all, easy listening and these boys did a good job.

Shortly after 9:00, the houselights dimmed.

A lone 12 string guitar sat perched on its stand in a swathe of green light before Rival Sons walked out on stage to a rapturous welcome from the passionate Scottish fans. They opened their two-hour set with Mirrors from their recent Darkfighter album. Oh, Jay was sounding sweet! And he was smiling!

Mirrors (show opener) – Rival Sons @ Barrowlands Glasgow 16/10/23 – YouTube

Sweet Life from the band’s second album of 2023, Lightbringer, followed. This is an awesome song.

Then it was back a few years as Pressure And Time completed the opening trio of songs. Just WOW!

Something that was clear from the start was that Rival Sons were having so much fun on stage. Each of them looked happy to be back out in front of their Scottish fans, especially the barefooted Jay Buchanan. I love it when the band are relaxed and having as much fun as the crowd. We feed off each other’s energy levels. Guitarist Scott Holiday cut a dashing figure in his wide brimmed hat and shades, complete with his signature moustache. This was the fourth time I had seen these guys live but there was a different energy to them this time. As Jay eluded to later on in the evening, they’ve all become comfortable in their own skin on stage and that fact was shining as bright as the spotlights. Lovely to see Jay playing so much guitar too this time round.

With effectively two new records to be promoted on this Darkfighter tour there were several new songs balanced out amongst the fan favourites in the set. No mean feat with such a high calibre of songs to choose from.

Rapture from Darkfighter was the first single to be released from that album if memory serves me right. Live it sounded incredible.

Rapture – Rival Sons @ Barrowlands Glasgow 16/10/23 – YouTube

To keep the balance, the infectious Bird In The Hand from Lightbringer followed. Love this one!

I detected a slight huskiness to Jay’s voice as he spoke to the crowd between songs so in my heart, I knew we weren’t likely to hear the beautiful Jordan…maybe next time (HINT)

However, Glasgow was treated to a song that may grow to become just as special in time- Mosaic from Lightbringer. So many emotions wrapped up in this one. Absolutely adored it.

Rival Sons – Mosaic – The Barrowlands – Glasgow – 16/10/23 – YouTube

(credit to the owner Robbie Rooney via You Tube)

Mid-set, after Open Your Eyes, it was drummer Mike Miley’s turn to steal the spotlight. He also stole the crowd’s heart with his opening drumbeat that encouraged the familiar Glasgow chant of Here We, Here We, Here We F**king Go. Well played, sir! Miley delivered a blistering drum solo over the next few minutes.

Oh, how to follow that! Well, you follow it with Torture, a real fan favourite moment and definitely one of the highlights of the night!

The stunning Horse’s Breath from Darkfighter enchanted us next.

Horse’s Breath – Rival Sons @ Barrowlands Glasgow 16/10/23 – YouTube

Oh, this show was flying by way too fast!

The Scottish fans were in fine voice and not even the plethora of new songs was throwing them off. This capacity crowd were singing their hearts out to each and every song. (There were going to be a few hoarse fans come Tuesday morning – me included!)

The incredible Face of Light deep in the set was followed by a truly spellbinding solo from Scott Holiday. The Fuzz Lord reigns supreme!

Face of Light & guitar solo – Rival Sons @ Barrowlands Glasgow 16/10/23 – YouTube

Probably my favourite song of the night, for a myriad of reasons, came next- Shooting Stars. Absolutely love this one and so did everyone else in the room judging by the volume of the Glasgow Rock Choir.

All good things have to come to an end sadly. After eargasmic renditions of Nobody Wants To Die and Do Your Worst, there was just time before curfew for one last song. The mighty Electric Man had the honour of bringing the evening to a climax.

What a show!

Till next time, boys.

Black Stone Cherry @ St Luke’s Glasgow on 6th October 2023

Earlier than usual, 16:42 to be precise, Boy Child and I set off by train to Glasgow in search of a much-anticipated evening of musical entertainment.

The music Gods had been smiling on me when I’d managed to get my hands on tickets for this show. I’m putting that success down to one of life’s miracles!

The weather Gods on the other hand were most definitely not smiling on us. It was peeing down!

So, who were we off to see?

The awesome Black Stone Cherry in the intimate setting of St Luke’s (capacity 700).

As I’d expected there was already a queue when we arrived at the venue, a converted church behind the city’s legendary Barrowlands.  Even although we’d arrived an hour before doors, I was worried about whether we’d snag a decent spot for the night.

Soaked to the skin, we finally got inside out of the elements shortly after 7pm (why are doors always late in opening when it’s raining?)

While I went to the merch stall, Boy Child secured our spot for the night, just one row off rail. Happy days!

It had been seven years since Black Stone Cherry had played such a small venue in Glasgow. That 2016 show in The Cathouse was one of the best I’ve ever been to.

At 8:30, the lights went down and the boys from Kentucky took to the stage to open their nineteen-song set with the title track from their new album Screamin’ At The Sky. The fans were screaming too. What an opener! Next up, was the firm fan favourite Blind Man. The thundering drum intro from John Fred Young set the bar high for the night.

Glasgow loves these boys and were singing their hearts out right from the get go.

The pace kept up through White Trash Millionaire before the boys mellowed things out for a few minutes with their Bob Marley/Reggae twist on Me And Mary Jane. So cool.

Something that struck me early on in the set was just how much fun those guys were having on stage. Yes, it’s a much smaller stage than I’ve seen them on for a while and that may have clipped guitarist Ben Wells’ energetic performance slightly, but they were having so much fun out there and the fans were feeding hungrily from it. There was also an element of “last night of the tour” party vibe going on.

Over the years, Burnin’ has slowly grown to be one of my live favourites so I was glad it made the cut for the night.

Burnin’ – Black Stone Cherry @ St Luke’s Glasgow 06/10/23 – YouTube

The song that followed it was the first song that Boy Child heard played live at the first gig I ever took him to back in 2009…Rain Wizard (apt considering the weather outside). This was the song that kick started my love affair (and Boy Child’s) with this band. Awesomeness!

Rain Wizard – Black Stone Cherry @ St Luke’s Glasgow 06/10/23 – YouTube

How to follow that? By slowing things right down. Keeping it simple, with Ben Wells on guitar and Chris Robertson’s heartfelt vocals, we were treated to a fairly rare outing for The Rambler. That song has one of my favourite lyrics in it – “I played a pretty Southern girl right out of her dress”. It’s a beautifully heartbreaking song…love it!

Chris was teasing the fans about what song from way back at the start was about to follow. Someone shouted, “Lonely Train” and found themselves the butt of Ben Wells’ teasing response “We’ve a first timer in tonight!”. The song was in fact the awesome Hell And High Water.

This show was flying in way too fast!

Two songs later, in the midst of Cheaper To Drink Alone, Mr John Fred Young got his spotlight moment as he delivered a breathtaking, blood stirring drum solo. He truly is an incredible drummer!

One of my all-time favourites In My Blood followed.

Keeping the energy levels high, Black Stone Cherry played the last one from the new album to make the setlist, Out Of Pocket, next before playing another rarity from their now substantial back catalogue, Maybe Someday, from their debut album. Great to hear it live.

I’ve long since lost count of how many times I’ve seen Black Stone Cherry play live and they never disappoint. At one-point, mid-set, Chris Robertson pointed out that Glasgow, or “the other Glasgow” as they refer to it, is one of their favourite places to play and that they usually start a tour there. (They all live near Glasgow, Kentucky for those who didn’t know). Tonight was the first time in sixteen years that they’d ended a tour there. I suspect it might not be the last time… time will tell.

These boys are such a close-knit bunch but it’s really hard to single out anyone in particular. Collectively, they are a well-oiled machine with so much talent oozing out of each of them. The newest member of the Black Stone Cherry “family” is bass player Steve Jewell but he’s no longer the new boy. He’s found his niche, developed his stage persona and established his place at the table. His arrival a couple of years ago has re-ignited the fire in these guys and the fans love him.

The main body of the set was rounded out with the ever-popular Lonely Train. (The “first timer” would have been happy too LOL) Up on stage, Chris commented about feeling the effects of the tour in his voice. By now, all seven hundred fans were becoming a little hoarse too, but they gave it their all.

Curfew was looming large on the horizon, but there was just time for a two-song encore.

Both Ben and Chris returned to the stage to open the encore with the gorgeous ballad, Stay, from Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea. Maybe it was the lyrics, the message within them or just the general emotion of the night but I sobbed my heart out through this one. Such a heartfelt song.

There was only one song left and Chris promised to blow his voice out if we all helped him sing the mighty Peace Is Free. There really is no other way to finish off a Black Stone Cherry show and what a show it had been!

Definitely one that will go down in the history books…and like The Cathouse show from 2016, I’ve the t-shirt to prove I was there!

Hurry back, boys. We miss you already.

The White Buffalo @ O2 Academy Glasgow 18th July 2023

The summer sun was shining as Boy Child, and I boarded the train to Glasgow on Tuesday evening. We were heading back to the O2 Academy. We were heading into the city to see The White Buffalo for the third time.

I was mildly surprised when we arrived at the venue about 6:20pm that the queue wasn’t longer. There were only 5 folks ahead of us in the O2 Priority queue and the main queue didn’t look to be too busy either. It is the “Glasgow Fair” and there was a football match on at one of the city’s stadiums so perhaps those had an impact here.

Doors opened shortly before 7pm and while I made the obligatory pit stop at the merch stall, Boy Child secured a nice wee rail spot for the evening. It was the second last night of the “Year of the Dark Horse” tour and there were slim pickings at the merch stall.

There was only one support act for the evening. Same as last year, The White Buffalo had brought LA Edwards with him. Hailing from Julian CA, this band fronted by Luke Andrew (LA) Edwards delivered a solid 9 song set. They’re quite a mellow bunch with the exception perhaps of their keyboard player but perhaps their Americana/Tom Petty vibe wasn’t for everyone in the room. For me, and it may have been the frame of mind I was in, they seemed a little bland this time round.

As Mr Lordi had said at the Sabaton show back in April, the opening act’s job is to warm the crowd up. I wasn’t warm….

LA Edwards ended their set with the three brothers in the band coming together to sing Day I Die, a song written for their mother.

The room was steadily filling up throughout the opening act’s set but by the time the lights dimmed again at 9:15pm, it was far from packed which was a shame.

The White Buffalo stepped out onto the dim stage to a huge cheer and promptly took up position behind the keyboard at the back of the stage to open the 90-minute set with two tracks from the current album Year of the Dark Horse, Not Today and Winter Act 2.

Not Today & Winter Act 2 (show opening) – The White Buffalo @ O2 Academy Glasgow 18/07/23 – YouTube

The White Buffalo aka Jake Smith, flanked by guitarist/bassist/keyboard player Christopher Hoffee, who clearly still channels his inner punk with his “choppy” style and drummer Matt Lynott always delivers a no-frills performance. What you see is what you get and its awesome!

Two more songs from the current album made the set – Kingdom for a Fool and C’mon Come Up Come Out.

There’s no denying that the more popular songs with the Scottish fans are those that featured in the TV series Sons of Anarchy.

The first of those to make an appearance mid set was O Darlin’ What Have I Done, and I’ll confess it was a highlight moment for me. I also loved John Jameson that followed it.

Not surprisingly the song that got the biggest reaction all night was Come Join The Murder. It truly is an epic song.

Come Join The Murder – The White Buffalo @ O2 Academy Glasgow 18/07/23 – YouTube

Another spectacular song, also from that TV show is The Whistler. Hauntingly beautiful.

The Whistler – The White Buffalo @ O2 Academy Glasgow 18/07/23 – YouTube

The main set was rounded out with The Pilot.

Amid cries of “one more tune” (what happened to the usual Glasgow chant? Never heard it all night…) Jake Smith returned to the stage for a solo performance of Wish It Was True before welcoming the others back to end the night with How The West Was Won. An awesome song to end an awesome show.

With earworm O Darlin’ What Have I Done on repeat in many ears, the Scottish fans trooped wearily into the night…til next time.

The HU @ O2 Academy Glasgow 22nd June 2023

On a hot sunny Thursday evening Boy Child and I boarded the train to Glasgow. We were heading into the city, to the O2 Academy to be precise, to see those mighty Mongols, The HU.

I was hoping it was going to be third time lucky as I have missed them twice so far (2020 and 2022)

Having bathed in glorious sunshine in the queue for 30 minutes or more (thank you, Weather Gods), the doors opened and, while I made the obligatory trip to the merch stall, Boy Child secured a nice wee rail spot for the night. Happy days…

There was one support act on the bill – Tau and the Drones of Praise, a Pagan folk band…. and that’s as far as that thought goes. Thumper Principle duly applied….

Moving swiftly on….

At 9 o’clock amid cheers and chants of “HU HU HU HU”, the band’s drummer was first out on stage to hang they standard on its pole centre stage as his bandmate’s followed. The HU opened their ninety-minute set with Hohochu Zairan. Badged as the Rumble of Thunder Tour, things were certainly off to a thunderous start.

Suddenly, we were transported to the plains of Mongolia as the traditional Mongolian sounds and throat singing filled the air.

Hohochu Zairan – The HU (set opener) @ O2 Academy Glasgow 22/06/23 – YouTube

For the uninitiated among you, The HU are a Mongolian folk metal band from Ulaanbaatar, who call their musical style “Hunnu rock”. The HU are inspired by the Hunnu, an ancient Mongol empire and the band’s member still honour this by dressing in traditional warrior style and by playing traditional Mongolian instruments.

There are four core members of the band but for live shows they are accompanied by four touring musicians which makes for a busy stage.

It’s the band’s core members who are at the front of the stage. Front man, Jaya, is the only one in Western dress but has a traditional belt and boots on by way of a nod to his heritage.

The Gereg and Shoog Shoog, both from the band’s debut album The Gereg followed.

The crowd were loving it…even if none of us understood a word of it! All of the songs were sung in the band’s native language and incorporate traditional Mongolian throat singing. It truly was incredible to hear such a unique blend of sounds.

I was fascinated with Gala, who was on stage in front of me. He was playing a morin khur (a horsehead fiddle) with a bow finished off with what I assume was horsehair. A stunningly beautiful if somewhat bizarre looking instrument.

At the far side of the stage, Enkush was playing a second morin khur only his was red to Gala’s blue.

To Gala’s right stood Temka, who was playing a tovshuur (a three stringed lute) Again another beautiful looking traditional instrument.

Frontman Jaya also played two instruments during the set – a tsuur (a flute style instrument) and a tumur hhuur (that a Jew’s harp to you and me).

The four touring musicians behind them towards the back of the stage were playing more familiar Western instruments (bass, guitar, percussion and drums) I loved though that The HU kept the traditional instruments to the forefront of the performance.

It’s quite a challenge to sing along to a set that isn’t in English, but the Scottish crowd rose to the challenge, singing along passionately where they could and chanting “HU HU HU HU” in between. You can’t keep a Scots crowd quiet!

The set itself was a balance of songs from The HU’s two albums plus Essessin Vasehina, a song that was featured in the video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Eseerin Vasahina – The HU @ O2 Academy Glasgow 22/06/23 – YouTube

Set highlights for me were Yuve Yuve Yu and Wolf Totem, both from The Gereg

Yuve Yuve Yu – The HU @ O2 Academy Glasgow 22/06/23 – YouTube

This Is Mongol from their second album Rumble of Thunder rounded out the main set.

It was hotter than hell in the room by now but there was time for a quick encore before the fans melted.

The HU ended the night with a rousing cover of Metallica’s Through The Never

Through The Never (Metallica cover) – The HU @ O2 Academy Glasgow 22/06/23 – YouTube

Before finally leaving the stage, the drummer ceremoniously lifted the standard from its pole and carried it off into the night and onto the next stage.

As we trooped out into the warm summer evening, relishing in the taste of fresh air, echoes of “Yuve Yuve Yu” filled my mind.

Those “echoes” lived there for two further days!

An incredible night of music. Can’t wait to see them next time the Mongolian horsemen ride into town.