I was invited along tonight by the lovely Laura Scott of the Scottish Tour Collective who co manages the headliners tonight: Rank Berry. As I was working until 9pm I missed the support acts in full, however it seems one of them didn’t make it so Wesley from One Last Secret was called on to do an acoustic set instead. The other support was from Deadbeat Ragdolls and whilst I only caught their last 2 songs sounded like a band I might look out for in the future.

I’m accompanied by “Half Day” McVey, a friend, co worker and one part of a mysterious music duo called….well I can’t tell you that or it wouldn’t be a mystery would it? We meet Laura outside and have a chat and a smoke then head in for some nice lagers to try to chase away the memories of our previous shift at work. I’ve covered bands at Pivo Pivo before and it’s a nice wee venue. This doesn’t stop me from getting lost on the way to the gents though. Only half a pint of lager into the night and I’ve lost my bearings already. Things could get tricky.

I set up my camera for the venue and Rank Berry take to the stage. They are a 4 piece from Dumbarton who use the conventional rock band set up, 2 guitars, vocals, bass and drums. I notice right away that the bass player Marc Doherty is wearing the same Ramones T shirt as me (albeit in a different colour).

This bodes well I think. Fair enough the lead guitarist Brian Kerr is wearing a Kiss T shirt, but at least he is not wearing make-up. Singer Jamie O’Donnell has that Jesus look, a bit like Samaras does, it’s the beard/hair combo.

Their drummer Grant Dallas exhibits that manically possessed appearance common amongst guys who batter their instruments for a living. It’s all good though, this is what Rock n Roll is about. A dynamic between band members that pushes its way into the music and out via the PA to your ears and crashes into your brain just in time for your eyes to tell you it’s on its way.

Rank Berry do Rock n Roll like a bar band would in the southern states of the USA. I grab a JD and coke to help that mood along, and also because the lager is just not doing it for me. I’m taking pictures and also making notes on my phone, whilst drinking JD and Coke, knowing where the Gents is, and talking to “Half Day” McVey. Multi tasking like a mofo so to speak.

The band are tight and obviously used to playing live. They have done larger venues than this in the past so a smallish venue is no issue to them. It might also explain why the lead guitarist would leap off the stage and do a circuit of the venue now and then to give his wireless kit a workout. This could have ended in tragedy as one of the bar staff moved a table back to the adjoining alcove near the end of the gig, but he spotted it just in time.

The band deliver a tight set with perhaps too many cover versions for my liking. They do The Faces “Stay With Me” and also “Crossroads” the way Cream did it. I was impressed with their cover of “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival though. I guess my take on cover versions is that it’s more interesting to take a song that is not in your particular musical genre and make it your own. That is just my opinion though. On the bands own songs they do a great job. At one point Grant uses cowbell. And we all know there is always room for more cowbell. I’m not knocking the band at all by the way. It takes time to learn and play together and maybe if I caught them in a larger venue there would have been more audience feedback too. That loop you get when the audience are up for it and the band responds and the audience get more into it and so on. Perhaps too, if I was just watching the band instead of taking notes and photographs it would have been more enjoyable for me.

The last song “Good Times” just about takes us to the curfew. With that brilliant crescendo you get at the end of Rock tunes. You know the one with the fills and rolls and hard major chords ringing out on the guitars until it crashes to a stop.

Rank Berry are a decent band, maybe I caught them on the wrong night for me. I will go and see them again just as a punter to see if I get more into it. I’ll never knock anyone that takes to a stage and plays to an audience live. It’s an investment in time and money to get to that point. Anyone that does that has a special place in my heart. Go and see them live and find their stuff on Yertube and make your own mind up. I’d say good band maybe just the wrong night for me.

Pat McGuire.

Links : https://www.facebook.com/rankberrymusic

I consider myself a lucky guy. I have a wonderful family and some pretty cool friends. I also have been able over the past few years to photograph and write about some amazing bands. Some people do it as a job, others for kudos, me I do it because I love it and it keeps me sane. Also, call me old fashioned but I try to only cover bands/artists that I like or feel engaged with. It’s not my job, it’s more of a vocation. That doesn’t mean that sometimes I’ll go to a gig with almost no previous knowledge of the band. I like to be pleasantly surprised too.

And so last week I was on social media, posting drunkenly some of my favourite tunes as I do ( I love this music thing so want to share that with you all…) and a message popped up from a friend asking me to come along to the gig tonight. To be honest I had heard of the acts on the bill and thought why not. They seem okay. What have I got to lose?

I did a cursory Yertube search, found it interesting and cleared my extensive diary entries forthwith ( Haircut, football game on telly, read a last chapter of a pulp novel…), went to work and did 5 and half boring hours of “work”.  My evening was now free to go to the gig. As me and some of my friends say “Yaldi”.

I’ve never been in Broadcast before despite it’s close proximity to my house. So when I walked in and a Hen night/Pub golf party was there I felt a slight twinge of uneasiness. This was swiftly assuaged when I went out for a smoke and the football was over. The Hen night/Pub Golfers wandered off down Sauchiehall Street to “party” in other places. I’m sure they had a lot of fun and hope they didn’t get arrested.

In the venue downstairs there is a mix of cool people, cooler people and me, a square dude with a camera. Speaking of cool. I had spoken to Biff Smith from A New International before the gig, he kindly showed me the room before the performance so I could work out my shooting angles. Biff is instantly easy to speak to and very affable and friendly. Also he had to disengage from our conversation to speak to his “Wee Mammy” before the gig. Again, call me old fashioned, but when someone calls their Mother, their “Wee Mammy” I tend to like them. Also in the room is Duglas T Stewart (BMX Bandits) who was the friend who had asked me to come to the gig. His partner, Chloe Philip is the bassist in No More Tiger who headline tonight. Duglas is one of the many people who have done me favours in the past that allow me to get to shows like this. I’m not name dropping by the way, just stating a fact.

A New International may be know by some people in their previous form as The Starlets, I’m not au fait with that band because I’m a square dude with a camera, but I hear they were a rather good indeed. They assemble onstage with Biff in a neckerchief and clipper hat almost resembling  a 1920’s cartoon hero and begin to play. Immediately I’m channelling Jacques Brel and perhaps Django Reinhardt.  A New International seem to favour songs that begin in A minor (which is not a bad thing at all) then swing and sway into almost Gypsy Jazz with an overlay of Violin and Trumpet and some particularly good twangy surfish guitar. Biff delivers torch song vocals which in some parts remind me of Billy MacKenzie (Associates) and Leonard Cohen. If I closed my eyes for a moment, I could swear I was in Paris after the “Great War”. Hemingway, T.S. Eliot, Man Ray, Picasso are all there watching. Young men in the corners are smoking Gauloises and discussing the human condition. I open my eyes and instead it is a basement venue in Glasgow. However the music still seems to swirl around like a ghost of another century, the echoes of which are still hanging in the air above, in the architecture and the names of places nearby. One of their songs tonight – Valentino, could easily feature in a Tarantino movie. It has that same filmic element. In fact many of their songs contain a dramatic theme. Imagine Nick Cave if he lightened up a bit and we are getting close. The whole band are fantastic musically, it is not a one man show but an ensemble piece. “we come here to break your hearts.” Indeed they do with a sophisticated and romantically toned set that enthrals the crowd and a certain square dude with a camera. I’ll not bore you with my take on A New International further, other than to encourage you to see them live, close your eyes, and tell me where they take you.

Headliners tonight No More Tiger are also an ensemble group. Sure they have guitar, bass and drums but they also have some odd keyboards and at one point a ukulele played by their drummer Carlo. On one level they kind of remind me of an early The B 52s with their bouncy pop and roll. Maybe it’s Jimmy’s deep voice with Chloe and Flore’s vocals as a counterpoint. However that is just a first impression based on some quick Yertube results. No More Tiger do songs about buses (Bus Song) and the CIA (Company man)  and having a Doppelganger (oddly entitled Doppelganger.) And also one about text/internet language (OMG MY LUV 4U). Jimmy’s sense of humour seeds the lyrics with a witty finesse and makes the gig a very enjoyable experience. At one point from the left of the stage I see my mate Stevie and his mate Dougie dancing away on the right. You know you own a crowd when they are smiling and dancing.

No More Tiger have that nice oddness you get with light indie pop music when it is done just the right way. They might not be to everyone’s taste. But then again not everyone has taste. If A New International reminded me somewhat of Paris in the 1920’s then No More Tiger suggest a more 1960’s vibe. In fact at one point the vocals (on  Hymn) seemed to ping pong from Jimmy/Chloe/Flore almost like an early song by The Who.

I’ve not read any press on the band so my ears were fresh to them. Some people might find their stuff twee or kitsch but I found it quite life affirming. Good music performed well with a clever sense of humour and great arrangements. It’s all about the song and the performance for me, be it punk/metal or pop music. Both bands tonight were a pleasant surprise and left me wanting to see them again. Always a good thing in my book.

Pat McGuire.

Links :

No More Tiger :  https://www.facebook.com/nomoretiger

A New International : https://www.facebook.com/ANewInternational

A Wednesday night in Glasgow. Sunny and pleasant for a change. Of course I have a hangover and hay fever combo just to make me feel rubbish. I endured work and all its mundane confusion with my sights firmly set on tonight’s gig. Will I feel out of place? Will I stay on soft drinks? Do I need my ear defenders? These are the type of questions running through my head as I got the bus into town, luckily the answer was “no.”

Outside the Venue I meet Den, Lev and Gary from Kingpin (the band I’m here to cover) and had a wee chat. Guitarist Neevo was away trying to find a crack dealer at the time, or looking for a “Ho” or riding a motorcycle away from a bank robbery…or maybe just in the toilet. I’m joking of course but that’s just to invoke a stereotype of Hardcore/Thrash bands that seems fairly common, i.e. That people who play a certain type of loud music are innately crazy criminalists and smoke crack whilst robbing banks to pay for prostitutes. I don’t think Kingpin do any of that though, well at least to the best of my knowledge.

Kingpin are pretty cool guys, I know Den but had never met the others. They are upbeat, a bit cheeky, and full of banter. They are obviously looking forward to the gig and their energy levels are high. I leave them to their pre gig routine (snorting white powder from young ladies body parts…nah I’m kidding) and wander inside to get a beer. The venue is a typical under a bridge space with exotic toilet facilities. The barman is effervescent as I ask what lager they have on tap -“Nane, jist cans.” So I get a Red Stripe with a lovingly prepared rusty lid and sip it warily. I think my last tetanus injection should see me through the night.

First on are Certain Death, a band from Kirkcaldy who feature 2 vocalists and kick-start the gig with some speedy punky thrash interlaced with a light garnish of rap. Between songs they interact with the crowd, asking who has ever been on the dole before doing “Giro Day” which is a corker of a tune.  Heavy riffage and great dynamics ensue. I almost lose a filling from one of my back teeth when I’m standing too close to the P.A. to get my photos. A small price to pay when seeing a band who really enjoys what they are doing and knows how to work the room. Ideal stuff to make me forget about my potential death from the rusty can of lager and blow my hangover off to F*ck too. I will make sure I catch them again soon. See the links at the foot of the review for more info.

So I wander back outside for a smoke after Certain Death’s set. Feeling more alive than I had 30 minutes previously. Still feeling hay feverish, but no hangover. Maybe rusty lager is the curer?

Kingpin. What can I say about Kingpin? (Apart from their predilection for crime and drugs…again I’m joking, honestly.) I’ve missed a few of their gigs over the last wee while and am really looking forward to seeing them live. Just before they begin and are setting up on stage I sense a quiet before the storm. Lev sits at the front of the stage for a few seconds almost as if he is mentally preparing himself. The crowd seems to get more excited too. A tension is imperceptibly hanging in the air and I get the feeling that I might need to visit the exotic bogs and snort some…sorry have a quick slash so that I don’t miss a second of their set. I also grab a rust free can of lager too. It’s always best to be prepared.

Kingpin do an immense set. Which is no easy feat considering that MoD, the headliners from the USA have not played Scotland for decades. I don’t think it matters to the band too much though as they just get tore in and do their thing. Den underpins their special blend of Thrash/Hardcore with some floor splitting drummage which is almost industrial. Gary knocks the f*ck out of his bass whilst looking carefree and relaxed. Neevo’s guitar squeals and grinds and chugs along on top while he head bangs like a good un’ (so much so that in one of my shots he looks like Chewbacca from Star Wars when the moment is frozen.)  Lev stomps the stage and roars his lyrics. They Serve Themselves is a classic example of how to take speed and energy and release it an sonic explosion that f*cks up your eardrums in a nice way. By that I mean when you find yourself walking along the street the next day and a bus or train passes close, and you think of the drum fill that would signal the tempo change.

Last Warning from intro to the end invokes dark metal/thrash/speed punk and is angry and still structured. Almost like a Greco-Roman statue with a bearded philosopher looking a bit pissed off. Speaking of being pissed off, Lev’s face seems to signal anger and disdain but I read it more as concentration. It’s a totally physical performance and the way Kingpin use the stage is a workout in itself. Gary at one point takes off his top. No doubt for the ladies in the audience (there were some, it wasn’t a total sausage fest). Neevo seems to be wearing multi coloured surfer shorts too. Maybe he is going to a narly skate party later? And Bitches Leave (Think Robocop, not misogyny) is wry and heavy in equal measures. I’d heard the demo before, but live it really takes off, I hear an echo of Beastie Boys Sabotage in the first section, but you may not. Either way you have 20 seconds to comply…

Kingpin have tons of gigs coming up, check their page at the bottom of the review for more info.

And so, Method of Destruction are on next. I grab a smoke and let my camera cool down as I’ve taken too many pictures and had to change memory cards mid set too. I get back to the bar to get a can of lager. I speak to a few people who have especially come to the gig just for Method Of Destruction. It’s a huge thing for them as the band have not played here for decades. I’m a bit off the radar for the band so claim no previous knowledge whatsoever. I did do some research though, just the usual Yertube searches. I liked what I heard musically. Also the band were either inside or outside the venue most of the night. And New York accents are not too unusual in Glasgow anyway. I think I nodded to the drummer a few times whilst the other bands were on, he looked a bit like a mate of mine from Boston (The City in the US, not the band called Boston…) and Billy Milano and the others were watching the support acts too at the back of the venue.  Their brand of raw thrash erupts and a mosh pit develops. I don’t know what their songs were called to be honest but going by the crowd reaction they played their back catalogue as well as a few from Milano’s previous incarnation-Stormtroopers of Death.

He quipped in between songs about not knowing whether to eat or f*ck a haggis (so he did both) and has the type of larger than life charisma that makes a great front man. The band are no slackers either (despite being from Austin, Texas) and kick arse and bring the night to a close. The smell of sweat and denim and leather probably still lingers in the venue.

Tonight was a perfect gig in that all three of the bands all brought their own take to a similar genre, technically you couldn’t put a sheet of paper between them. I had a great night and wandered off home with my ears ringing. Great stuff indeed.

Pat McGuire.

Links :

https://www.facebook.com/CertainDeathOfficial

https://www.facebook.com/KingpinGlasgow1

https://www.facebook.com/ModMethodOfDestruction

More pictures : see https://www.flickr.com/photos/patmcguire2011/sets for full band sets

I’m sitting in the Variety Bar with my friend Tom Perrie (Brother of Andrew Perrie, bassist with Universal Thee) waiting for another friend “Half-day McVey” to arrive. We are ruminating if the goldfish are real. There is a faux fireplace on a screen in the corner so it’s entirely plausible that the fish in the tank above the stairs are also just clever fakes, perhaps a few LCD screens in a box configuration? They could even be in a real tank but just fake robotic fish? Anything is possible these days. Maybe if I took one out and put it in my pint we would find out the truth? Luckily the band come in just as I’m about to test my theory. I’ll find out next time but for now the goldfish are safe.

Universal Thee have just finished sound check for the gig tonight and require some liquid refreshment. So we huddle up under the fake fireplace and get some drinks in. As a band they have the right dynamic even sans instruments. James Russell (singer/guitarist) is a slight chap with an air of inquisitiveness, always looking around as if he is soaking in information all the time. His wife and fellow singer Lisa Russell is charming and chatty and very down to earth. Robin Spivey (guitarist) is quiet and seems shy (but when he has his guitar strapped on it’s a different story, more about this later). Andrew Perrie (Bassist) is affable and intelligent and only has an iPhone for “work reasons“. He also plays bass with his eyes closed a lot (this becomes apparent as I work through the photographs I took on the night). Drummer Kevin Haddow is tall and slightly scary looking-as all good drummers should be. It has been said that the best bands are like a gang, if so then Universal Thee are a gang that could beat you in a pub quiz, and perhaps also in a fight in the car park afterwards if you cheated.

Back in March I reviewed their Album-Back to Earth and missed seeing them live. So I’m really looking forward to getting some shots and seeing them tonight. As an added bonus I get to spend some time with them and their Manager James Scott pre gig too. As we leave The Variety Bar the band are wondering if they can take some food into the venue. I suggest getting a “pizza pass” to go with their band passes, I’m not sure if it worked.

We cross the road and sit outside The Beresford. Sipping drinks in the sunshine that pours down Sauchiehall street and chat about comedy TV shows. Synthesizer Patel and Wilco being a key topic at one point. Their Manager James and I have a few surprising things in common too, involving criminal gangs in Wishaw, and schools in Viewpark and him having a hairy time in Bellshill once. It’s a small world. I hasten to add none of us were in criminal gangs in Wishaw…

This is not the bands first gig in Glasgow, they have played here a few times before. But it’s my first time seeing them live so I’m champing at the bit for the venue to open so I can experience some Universal Thee up close, and personal. I’ve never been in the Beresford Lounge in its present incarnation before. But it would have been nicer for the acts on the bill if there was a sign outside advising that a show was on, and perhaps one directing people downstairs to the gig too. This is no fault of the promoter(Laura Scott of the Scottish Tour Collective). The fact that a few bands have gigs/album launches on at nearby venues doesn’t help either, but that is just bad luck. (Holy Ghosts were doing an album launch in Nice N Sleazies. Eastcoastdefector were playing at Broadcast too.)

Before Universal Thee come on however we have a nice acoustic set from Madeline Orr, followed by Scott Cowie doing comedy and guitar. Both enjoyable sets that were only really hampered by there being a small crowd. And a key thing here too, the bar downstairs was closed, causing people to drift upstairs if they wanted a drink.

All of that aside though I was there for Universal Thee live. So I stocked up on booze and nicotine prior to their set thus enabling me to take my pictures and enjoy the show. And what a show it was. On the LP the band might sound slightly reserved, live however they rip it up, rock out and get tore in. Their songs have a certain oomph factor. Structured noise and melody whilst still being faithful to the recorded versions on the LP.

They open with Bear in the Hospital which was my favourite track on the album when I reviewed it back in March. To quote myself from that article – “A wonderful yet minimalistic song that covers all the bases for good indie rock.” Played live it is heavier and of course louder. That is why we go and see bands in the first place is it not? To hear a song organically and happening in front of us. Out front the sound is good and the band could and should be playing to a packed house. As it is though some of their friends from fellow Edinburgh band Ded Rabbit who were playing the Attic at The Garage next door are there. Wesley and Fraser from Kilmarnock’s own One Last Secret too. Along with a few punters who hung around from earlier. And of course Tom, “Half-day McVey” and myself.

The band crack open the bottle of fuzzy pop that is Bone Collector next. This is one of their songs that openly shows their Pixies influence. I’m almost back in my early 20’s when I saw The Pixies in London, if I closed my eyes I could be there. Robin Spivey’s guitar licks and the song’s dynamic really make me think is Joey Santiago here tonight? Tiger Tiger has an short but effective intro before the song springs to life. Wonderful stuff. James and Lisa’s vocals intertwine and move around the song like a spider walking up your spine. Bendy guitars take us to the end, but I still want it to go on, and on and on. Universal Thee then do two songs that I hadn’t heard before and which are not on the LP. Why do you have to be so unkind and Xang. Causing me to malfunction in operating my camera so I retire to a table to have a sip or two of the drinks that Tom and “Half-day McVey” have bought me. Crisis resolved I go back to shooting pictures. Andrew Perrie is still playing his bass with his eyes closed. Kevin Haddow is hammering the drums(despite having to use a spare hi hat stand as a cymbal stand) and Make a little Money begins with more bendy guitar and segues into lovely vocals and quirky walking bass lines.

As the set draws to the last third. The band take it to Down which while the song’s lyrical content might be about something unpleasant, strangely lifts my spirits with it’s lovely noisy passages and heavy drums. Robin Spivey is not a shy guitarist, he is evoking guitar gods as he pulls something ethereal from his Telecaster. I’m hearing echoes of Sonic Youth as my ears get blasted from the side monitors and the amps. Wolves of the Netherworld then rips us all a new one! I’m genuinely scared at one point as the lyrics seem to be about what their manager James and I were talking about before the gig (criminal gangs…) but I’m sure it is not.

Always end on a high note and leave them asking for more. So the last song does this indeed. Aranis Natas is rocking us out on a high. I don’t know if the sound guy set his faders to malky, or if it’s just my ears, but it sounds loud even in the quiet parts. Menacing and almost industrial. Indie rock has never sounded so good, really!

I’m sad that the gig had to end, but it left me wanting more. I’m glad I finally got to see them live, meet them in person and do some pictures and review. It vindicates me, makes me feel whole. It might have changed my life too. And to quote “Half-day McVey” (not his real name, he is a musician and producer in his own right, and hopefully I will be doing a feature on his projects soon.)-“Reminds me of Uresei Yatsura crossed with Pavement. In a good way!”

After the gig I wandered over to Sleazies with “Half-day McVey” and the band went back to Edinburgh. It was a cracking night all in all. When Universal Thee come back to Glasgow I’ll be there to see them and I urge you to give them a listen too. They are one band who are definitely going places. I foresee bigger venues and maybe even some festivals on the horizon. Catch them while you can, up close and personal.

Pat McGuire.

Universal Thee gigs coming up :

27th of June in the Green Room in Perth.

5th July at River in Glasgow.

11th July Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh.

18th July Audio Soup Festival in Dunbar.

26th July The Corrina in Perth.

Links :

https://www.facebook.com/universalthee

http://www.abadgeoffriendship.com/artists/universal-thee

By Neil Kerr

I have waited a while to post this review as the good folks at Audio Soup put on more than one party a year, and having been given press access to their first of 2014 the Equinox Party I was left seriously impressed. So I decided to wait a wee while for the soupers to reveal the line up for their main event, a three day festival taking place in the awesome setting of the Lammermuir hills in East Lothian, my home. More on that later.

The Equinox Party was quite an event, it took place in a large warehouse type building at Belhaven near Dunbar which is also in East Lothian and incorporated two main events, a band stage and a dance tent, both of which were well set out with times well displayed and easy to locate. A good start. After a quick tour of the site and a wee chat to some of the ticket holders affectionately referred to by the organisers as “soupers”, I was already quietly impressed with organisation and I had yet to hear a drum beat. A trip to the well stocked bar for a coke (designated driver) and I was further impressed to see locally made Thistly Cross Cider was predominant behind the bar, local venue local organisers and locally made drinks great work by the organisers, keep that up its the way to go with this type of event, they really should support the communities that they are in as much as possible.

Now for the actual event, the music and musicians we had all came to see, and there was a lot of people there an excellent turn out. First up were an act I had never seen before called Ska Ya Man bringing to our ears a unique mix of reggae ska music or was it ska reggae? Either way it was good, light hearted and entertaining, the stage was excellent too with some great visuals going on in the background. Ska Ya Man did a great set which got people to their feet and up to the front of the stage with ease, Their set was a great listen and well rehearsed, a great start to the day and well worth a look if you hear of them playing locally to you.

Next on stage were another act I had never seen before calling themselves The Support Act a band name that doesn’t lend itself to thoughts of great music, for me anyway. Gladly I was wrong these guys were just excellent their set got my attention from the first song and kept it until the last beat, the female vocalist delivering a flawless performance and the rest of the four piece act, one of whom I am sure was back on the stage later that day, were just as precise in their delivery, another great act. Also at this point it was coming to my attention that the sound being produced by the Audio Soup team was excellent quality.

The next act was another unique act a solo performer called Pauly Piper, a flutebox is the best way to describe him….. beatboxing and playing his flute to great effect, he has to be seen to be believed, unusually entertaining and great fun to watch, the organisers here have certainly done their homework. The following act The Girobabies were equally entertaining, although not my taste of music, the act was tight and clearly passionate about their music their lyrics to the point and sometimes risky another all round great act.

I have to point out that by this point in the day I was becoming very aware of the general manners of the people around me, the audience, the “soupers”. What a great bunch of people they are, an example of this came when my can of coke was accidently knocked out my hand by a dancing souper who was consumed by the music and dancing happily as I tried to squeeze by with camera and coke in hand, I was chancing it carrying both at any rate. At most gigs this would have gone unnoticed. However this cheery chap immediately was very apologetic and insisted on procuring me a new can, even though I protested that it was my own fault for chancing it through the tight space and not to worry, this guy disappeared still dancing into the crowd only to find me 10 minutes later on the other side of the stage carrying a shiny new coke for me. And he was not a solitary case I spoke to many soupers that day and all bar none were polite and only too happy to talk, they even let me stand in front of them to take pics, and anyone who knows me will know that this means that the person behind will be seeing nowt as i am not a wee chappy, what a great bunch of people you soupers are I raise my hat to each and every one of you.

Back on the stage I was feeling unsure of the next act appearing on stage, there were ten people there including not one but two saxophonists, I was wondering how this would sound, ten of them up there I thought was possibly a bit risky. I was very very wrong. This act was genius, and the sound people there at Audio Soup absolutely nailed it . The band are a band that have appeared on these pages in the past The Post Orgasmic Sunshine Band our Harsharan interviewed the band a while back. They were awesome so good i had to post on facebook how great the act was straight after they finished, I loved them. I spoke to the frontman Al after they came off stage and he was so modest about their sound a great guy.

The next act were also awesome, again I was unsure when a dj, a Bassist, a Guitarist, a Violinist and a guy with what appeared to be a penny whistle took to the stage. I was wrong again I am pleased to say. The Grousebeater sound system were brilliant too, unique, different and daring music using dance beats and adding some catchy riffs on the afore mentioned ensemble of instruments. It was brill, and well worth a look if you ever get the chance, all the acts were.

That includes the last act of the night before the DJ sets an act called The After Hours Quintet, another unusual act that were enjoyable, not the headline act I would have chose but then the crowd loved them, I did too just not the headline for me, I will leave you to guess which act was.

I should mention at this point the Elektical tent that was there… I visited it briefly and liked what I saw there too, I was there for the bands though. In that tent there was hip hop  acts as well as a top line up of DJ’s and the folks I asked who had been were impressed, unfortunately the reporter who was there from voice to cover that area was not too well and had to leave… Next time for that.

Big up to Audio Soup,awesome work from all involved, the set was top notch the sound second to none and the organisation in general was just great, impressed is possibly not a good enough description of how I felt as I left that night. I raise my hat once again to all involved thank you for having me and I look forward to the summer festival over the weekend of the 18th to the 20th of July 2014 where the organisers have arranged over 100 acts across the weekend and much much more. If the Equinox Party was anything to go by then this weekend is set to be outstanding. Find out all you need to know using the links below and check out the photo gallery too, see if you can spot the bassist that was in 2 bands.

Thanks again soupers for a day I wont forget.

Audio Soup facebook

Audio Soup Official website

  By Pat McGuire

 Universal Thee are a band from Edinburgh, consisting of James Russell on Guitar and vocals, Lisa Russell on vocals, Robin Spivey on guitar, Andrew Perrie on Bass and Kevin Haddow on drums.  I got their album to review as I was too ill to go and see them play live in Glasgow on Monday night ( 31st March ). I’m still bummed that I didn’t make the gig, but they were kind enough to send me the Album to review anyway.

Hearing this band initially you might think you were listening to something from that great epoch of indie rock that came out of the USA in the early to mid nineties. Do you remember Surfa Rosa? Doolittle? Have you ever listened to Slanted and Enchanted?

Back to Earth is Universal Thee’s debut album released on Eventual Heirs Records. And it rocks and sways and almost topples over around hooky guitar riffs, wobbly bass lines, almost vulnerable vocals and drums that keep it all tied down but also flip over themselves sometimes for added fun. Following on from the excellent Single “Aranis Natas” which was released in January, “Back to Earth” is an album full of quirks and treats. As a debut album it showcases a band that seem to know where they want to go musically. And that is wherever the hell they want to! The record segues easily between quiet and loud and quiet again. No apologies from me for using that term inversely. They like The Pixies which is a good thing. And I’m talking about The Pixies pre the several recent nostalgia tours. Before Black Francis was Frank Black and Kim Deal formed The Breeders. When that band were still a band in the true sense. I love The Pixies, they changed my life in a great way. I hope that Universal Thee change someone’s life too.

So the album, it’s all over the place in a good way. From the opening track to the ending, you really don’t know what exact dynamic will hit on the break or verse. It leaves you feeling a bit insecure but at the same time resolved when it either crashes into some mellow choruses or heavier guitar noise. “Bone Collector” the opening track could be a tribute to “Debaser” by The Pixies. Sonically it shares some of the same themes. But at the same time also could be an early Buzzcocks song with the widdley guitar lines too. It also has some nice vocal touches that make it nicely different to the aural influences I detected on first listen. It ends suddenly with some feedback fading away, gently…

“Tiger Tiger” paraphrases in part William Blake, I assume it’s about poetry but it could easily be about something else. I really don’t know, and I like the fact that what seems as an obvious lyrical theme suddenly flies into something else. “Wolves” is a quirky trip of a song, possibly the only one so far that is Pavement-esque to my ears. If it was a bit slower and had more cowbell it could almost be Malkmus as his crew. It is hook filled and short and sweet, like a good well behaved indie/pop tune should be. “Feeling Fragile” will be my hangover song and one I wish I had to aid me through all my previous hangovers in the past, but will come in handy the next time I wake up in a house with a strange address in a place I don’t know, with that feeling. “Everything’s broken you know” – Yes I have been there many times before. Now I have a theme tune to wrap my moral failings around.

“Eric” hits my Pixies trip right on the nose. Short song, starts, does what it does, ends. Perfect.

And then they come to “Down” which is a grower of a track. There is more to this song than you get a first, they almost sound angry…breaking the twisty quirky spell that we have encountered so far. Listen to it at least three times and see if you get it too.

The other tracks on the album are all just as good. Hooks and lines and turnarounds, faux floppy/sloppy playing but really tight at the same time. Whispering backing vocals and melodic leads. “Aranis Natas”, I mentioned earlier. So for me the album track that really does it for me is “Bear in Hospital“. A wonderful yet minimalistic song that covers all the bases for good indie rock.

As a debut album, sure it wears it’s influences proudly and there is nothing wrong with that. At the same time Universal Thee do sound different to other bands with the same record collections. I can’t quite put my finger on what that is, maybe because they have a contemporary twist and have filtered it all via 21st Century mores and recording techniques?  Or maybe it’s because they were too young to see the New Wave, No Wave and the original Indie Rock phenomena first hand? This only adds a freshness and newness to the genre. Essentially it doesn’t matter though. The end result it what counts. A very good debut album indeed with some cracking songs too. I really regret not seeing them live last Monday.

Universal Thee are still a fairly new band so if they are lucky they won’t be gobbled up by the music industry and perhaps get to make some more good records on their own terms.

Pat McGuire.

Links :

https://www.facebook.com/universalthee

http://www.abadgeoffriendship.com/artists/universal-thee

By Neil Kerr

I have heard some of Sophie Rogers’ music before and liked it, so much so we had it entered into our single of the week feature in February this year with her track “Free To Fly” which duly won the public poll and became our single of the week with a very respectable 44% of the online vote, a brilliant result for Sophie.

Intrigued and hoping to hear more of Sophie’s Smooth tunes, particularly hoping to catch the songstress live, I was delighted when she contacted me and invited me along to see her perform live. What’s more it wasn’t to be just any standard gig for Sophie, as she was to give her all in the legendary King Tuts Wah Wah Hut. So the date was set, I was going to catch Single of the week winner Sophie Rogers as she performed her debut appearance on the iconic Tuts stage, I may have been even more chuffed about this than Sophie was, but don’t tell her that.

After 2 trains to glasgow from Voice HQ I arrived eagerly early at King Tuts allowing myself time for the customary pre gig beverage and a chat to some of the assembled music lovers. Most of the folks I spoke to were looking forward to seeing Sophie perform, some were there for nothing else and were “just loving Sophie’s music” and “wouldn’t miss this gig for the world”. Having never seen this young musician perform live before these comments only added to my intrigue.

Into the gig we went and before the lady in the spotlight for the night performed I was treated to the fantastic sound of Jemma Kate, a brilliant performance, however that is for another time. Next up was Sophie, looking confident and relaxed she introduced herself to the crowd and began her performance, one girl, one guitar, one legendary stage, and she did it well, Sophies vocal is smooth, clear and mesmerising. Her guitar although she plays it very well, in my opinion is merely a prop, she doesn’t need it to carry her voice rather her voice carries the guitar in fact I struggled to move my concentration from the vocal. When I did though I realised that her work with the guitar was excellent and well rehearsed as the 23 year old songsmith effortlessly worked her way through her set of mainly original music written by herself and performed to perfection.

Now, normally at this stage of a review you would get a breakdown of the songs performed on the day. But the truth of the matter here is I cannot discriminate, I don’t want to single out any of Sophie’s excellent songs for favouritism. You can decide that for yourself by having a listen using the link at the end of this review, or even better, go and see her perform live for yourself! You can find her upcoming gigs using the link to her very well informed facebook page at the end of the review.

One song however was a real treat,  not in the sense that it was better than any of the others. It was in fact a cover and she almost sung it acapella to the wonderful sound of her audience singing it back to her which must have felt great. First time in Tuts and she had the crowd eating out her hand, brilliant. What was the song you say? It was “Caledonia” written by Dougie McLean in 1977 and performed perfectly by Sophie Rogers in 2014. Once again her voice was the winner here and again she could easily have pulled the song off minus the guitar.

I loved sophie’s set, it was better than I had expected and I never for one moment thought it would be bad, my high expectations were exceeded with ease by this talented Glaswegian singer songwriter which is always nice when it happens. Great voice, great guitar, great songs all coming together in a great venue before an equally great audience, what’s not to like in that equation.

I want more so if you see Sophie then please tell her that any other invitations will be gleefully accepted. If you do want to go and experience this talented young lady live then why not get to her upcoming EP launch gig in The Buff Club on the 25th of April starting at 7.15 PM. I may well see you there.

Links;

https://www.facebook.com/SophiesSound?fref=ts

https://soundcloud.com/sophierogers

http://sophierogersmusic.wix.com/main

       By Pat McGuire

The old Hairdressers is an odd venue. You travel up some vertigo inducing stairs from a lounge bar that plays soul music and 60’s garage and past the strangest gents toilet in Glasgow (really). And then you get to the top and into the music room your trip is rewarded by some great live music. I’ve only been here twice before to see bands and it is an intimate venue where the band and the audience are in the same space. It’s a bit like going round to a mate’s house to listen to records. Speaking of which, thanks to Simon, Natalie, Mark, Jim and Keith who all met me before the gig and kept me company.

Daniel Wylie will be known to many as the founder member of The Cosmic Rough Riders. A band that managed two top forty hits and supported U2 during their career. Nowadays he is a solo act and, albeit joined by various musicians live and on record. Tonight he is Joined by Neil Sturgeon and Dave Andrews (From The Golden Hour). Daniel’s son Joshua also plays too which adds a nice touch to the gig. (Making Daniel the “third best guitar player” in his family.)

Having a such a great back catalogue of music to pick from must be a challenge. The set includes many tracks from over the years and some from his last LP “Fake your own death”. Daniel’s songs are tinged with nostalgia and sadness, but live they still are uplifting and full of melodic hooks and chord changes that send a tingle up your spine. It’s not about sadness, more a reflective set with some great songs that have been written with an obvious sincerity that infects his songs.

The gig is interspersed with some banter to and from the crowd. Old friends from his schooldays are here tonight along with fans of his career who have seen him play many times before. To my eternal regret this is the first time I’ve seen him live, but I wasn’t disappointed, instead I felt drawn into the communal experience that you only get at gigs like this. Eye to eye contact between the artist and the crowd is what makes a good gig brilliant. Especially when it’s done for real. Playing great songs with great people only adds to that. Having a receptive and involved audience amplifies it more. All the ingredients that send people home feeling great and liberated, and possibly even changed.

During the gig Daniel talks about people that inspired him. Elvis Costello and R.E.M. for instance (and he does a brilliant cover of R.E.M.’s “The one I love”) and you get the feeling that while he is a songwriter and producer, he is mainly a music fan who makes great music and would play in a basement to ten people just for the joy of doing it. Before and after the gig he spends time talking to people and signing CDs. Not like some big star who has been on the telly and toured the world, just as a guy from Castlemilk who got to follow one of his dreams (he didn’t get to play for Celtic though. But how many footballers get to play great music and record great tunes?) An impromptu and concise cover of Lou Reed’s “Metal Machine Music” which involves Daniel making hissing noises into his mic gets nods from the crowd. They know their stuff…

Of course “Revolution in the Summertime” gets played. It wouldn’t be a Daniel Wylie gig without it. Also he dedicates “Everything I Give You” to Mark and Elaine which is another nice touch as he gave them the song for their wedding. This connection with fans is something that separates bands you go to see, and bands you end up following. I don’t know when Daniel Wylie will be playing again or where for that matter. I do know that I will be there though, and I hope that you will be too.

Upcoming Gigs from Daniel Wylie;

April 11th – Irvine, Harbour Arts Centre.
May 2nd – Liverpool, District. Alan McGee’s club night.
May 31st – Ayr, Fresh Air Festival.

Links :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihvbVHcox4o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-6heCM-13g

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/fake-your-own-death/id614624982

        By Pat McGuire.

The Legendary venue that is King Tuts is tonight hosting a potential legend in the making. About a third of his way through his tour which began in Sheffield in February and will end in Hamburg in April John Lennon McCullagh brings his guitar, his harmonica and his bluesy voice to Glasgow. Signed to Alan McGee’s 359 Music label, and with his debut Album North South Divide released last October on Cherry Red Records, the young balladeer takes to the stage in a venue which has been the springboard for too many bands and artist to mention. If you are in doubt just look it up on the web, or, have a look at the stairs on the way from the bar to the stage and see the company he is about to become a part of.

I’m not saying that lightly. I’ve seen many bands at King Tuts, some went on to better things, and others didn’t. The fact that it is the kind of venue that people put on their list to play or to see bands at is the important thing here. For every band that gets success there will always be many that don’t. It’s not the easiest job in the world to be in a band, but if you get to do it as part of your life, it is perhaps one of the greatest.

Before I start my review proper, I need to mention the support acts tonight. Michael Timmons opened the gig with some excellent electric guitar and vox to an appreciative crowd and was followed by Jamie Coleman with spirited acoustic playing and rousing tunes. Both of these guys are definitely worth seeing live ( I will try to see both acts soon so I can write about them as a full review ). But tonight I’m here to see John Lennon McCullagh and also to try to take some photographs.

John Lennon McCullagh comes on stage and says hello to the crowd, then asks them to come closer to the stage. “Come on Glasgow, get nearer!” said with so much self assurance and confidence that everyone does just that. He is not cocky or brash, just setting the tone for the gig. And the tone itself is acoustic and bluesy and inclusive. He makes eye contact with people while he plays and sings his set, again not in a big headed pop/rock star way, more so as a guy who wants to play his music and include you in the experience. It’s not an act, it’s just the way he does his gigs.

Lyrically his songs have a maturity that belies his actual years. “North South Divide” ( the title track from his Album ) has a depth in its poetry and message. “You’ll have a job at sixteen, it says so on the news. But as I look around, I see no jobs but dole queues.” Those words could be the anthem of teenagers from any post war decade to the present, maybe they should be the anthem of teenagers right now?

Lyrical maturity is the key here. Paul Weller wrote “In the City” aged nineteen. When Bob Dylan arrived in Greenwich Village he was a teenager with a guitar and a harmonica. Both of them wrote songs that have defined their respective generations and also inspired people who followed. Both were also influenced respectively by Guthrie and Townsend. What I hear when I listen to John Lennon McCullagh is almost a Mod version of Dylan. That comment might come across as ill conceived or based in ignorance, but that is what I perceive from the songs in a general sense. There are other influences in play too some more obvious than others. However being influenced by people musically is one thing, taking that influence and making it your own is another. John Lennon McCullagh does that successfully as he adds his own take to his songs live and on his records.

Back to the gig… The crowd are fantastic, receptive and involved. John Lennon McCullagh takes us all on a journey and even smiles at the guy at the back who shouts for “Free bird“. We are not getting Lynyrd Skynyrd covers tonight though, instead we get a set full of folksy blues with a modern lyrical bent. The genre he plays wouldn’t have been out of place in a club in the sixties but still sounds fresh and contemporary tonight in Glasgow. There is a talent at play here that combines the old with the new without sounding like a tribute act. The obvious comparisons that some people have made with Jake Bugg are missing the point on so many levels. Maybe to a younger crowd that is the only reference point and that is fair enough, but to me you could add Johnny Cash or Joe Strummer to the list easily, especially on “55 Blues”. For a sixteen year old to have such a wide scope of influences and still make the songs his own is both surprising and refreshing.

He is still on tour just now and has just been added to the bill on the main stage at the Bingly Live Music Festival. You should catch some of his shows this year if you want to see a real talent before he hits the big time. If only so you can say you were there at the start.

Pat McGuire.

Links :

http://359music.co.uk/rosters/johnlennonmccullagh/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMBWsnmRxfo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gyd47JvSLw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–Bjp0TeePg

                      By Pat McGuire.

So who is John Lennon McCullagh? Why have you not heard of him before? Two questions to which I only have one real answer and one retort. He is a singer songwriter who is touring the UK right now, and most of the good bits of Europe later and who might surprise us all with just how good he is. As to why you have not heard of him before? Well that might be down to a lack of mainstream press coverage or the fact that you don’t use social media. Or maybe you just don’t like the idea of a guy singing and playing acoustic guitar with the odd harmonica thrown in there now and then. If that is the case then please remember that the roots of pop and rock music were played in that format before most of us were born. Then after you have chastised yourself and turned off the top 20 charts app on your phone ( delete it now, we can pretend it never existed ), after that we can start talking.

John Lennon McCullagh is sixteen years old and comes from Doncaster. He spent some time living in Australia and also has seen Bob Dylan live more times than most of us. He decided to play guitar and write songs when he was twelve, then also got a hold of a harmonica and mastered that too. I want to move away from the obvious stuff now. Lots of young musicians are in their teens, lots of them make great music. What makes John Lennon McCullagh different? Well from this old 45 year old guy’s perspective, it’s all about the songs.

North South Divide for instance. It’s a folk tune sung with passion and verve. It could easily have been written about the Miner’s strike in the 80’s or the current disparity in the UK right now. But it is not overtly political, just a viewpoint as seen by a singer/songwriter who does his own thing and puts his words into action on stage and on records. Slipping Away is a finely crafted piece that is bluesy and forlorn and suggests unrequited love. Towerland Lullaby which features Alabama 3 (You have watched Sopranos so you know who they are) shows what John Lennon McCullagh sounds like with a band behind him and a full arrangement. But still the song writing shows through. I’d bet he could play some spoons on his knee or play an out of tune piano and still have that singular essence that makes people like and listen to music.

John Lennon McCullagh is playing in Glasgow at King Tuts on 7th March. So don’t believe my hype, just go along and see him for yourself.

Pat McGuire.

Links :

http://359music.co.uk/rosters/johnlennonmccullagh/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMBWsnmRxfo