The Best Concerts in Glasgow This Autumn

*PUBLISHED IN GCU’S STUDENT MAGAZINE: THE EDIT*

The upcoming months in Glasgow are seeing a lot of A-class artists coming to town. Varying from the classics such as ELO and Peter Hook, to Britain’s most treasured talent from the recent years with the likes of Florence and the Machine, Glasgow is not short of a great catalogue of gigs to choose from. If you’re wanting a good time with good music, and who can forget, good beers, to take your mind off uni and work for a while, check out this list of the essential artists and bands to see in Glasgow.

 

Peter Hook and The Light, September 30 – The iconic frontman is bringing his backing band to SWG3, where he will play tunes from two of his New Order albums, Technique and Republic, alongside playing some material from his earlier days with Joy Division tracks.

 

Jeff Lynne’s ELO, October 3 – Yet another classic, the Electric Light Orchestra will stop by the SSE Hydro on its eight-date tour. It is a concert not to miss as they are known for their outstanding live productions and amazing sound.

 

Tom Odell, October 12 – In support of his third studio album, Jubilee Road, the singer songwriter is playing at Glasgow’s favourite venue the Barrowlands. He will no doubt please the crowd with his string of indie and folk pop stunners.

 

Enrique Iglesias, October 23 – No one can deny the Spaniard has his fair share of hits. Playing at the Hydro for his All The Hits tour, this is one you cant miss if you want a good night of feel good tunes and dancing.

 

5 Seconds of Summer, October 23 & 24 – This band’s latest album Youngblood is a massive step towards maturity and has surprised many with how different they’ve sounded lately. Hitting the O2 Academy for two nights, this is a must, that is if you can stand the inevitable screaming girls.

 

Black Eyed Peas, November 2 – 2018 marks the 20^th anniversary for this hip hop band, and what better way to celebrate than by touring the UK for the first time in eight years. They play the Hydro in November which is sure to be a sell-out.

 

Florence and The Machine, November 17 – Celebrating their latest album, High As Hope, Florence is embarking on her fourth UK tour, with the Hydro being her only Scottish date. Hot from supporting The Rolling Stones this year, she is well and truly on fire.

 

This is only a snippet of what’s coming to Glasgow this season, with many more great artists stopping by as well. From the dancey electronica vibes of Rudimental, You Me At Six playing their full classic first album at the Barrowlands, to December’s smashing line-up of acts hitting the city from legendary Paul McCartney, to Glasgow’s very own legend, Gerry Cinnamon.

The Glasgow artists you have to look out for

*PUBLISHED IN GCU’S STUDENT MAGAZINE: THE EDIT*

From travelling around the UK in the past year and visiting cities like London, Liverpool and Edinburgh, I’ve seen my fair share of excellent live music from the local bands. From a packed London club, the Aint Nothin’ But Blues Bar, to the iconic Cavern Club in Liverpool, these places are bustling with the very best talent. However, nothing can compare to Glasgow. It may be the tight knit music community, where everyone seems to know everyone, or just the general friendly, easy going atmosphere at Glasgow gigs, I often find myself even more amazed the more gigs I go to in the city. Here are my top five bands and artists to look out for on the Glasgow music scene.

 

1. Weatherston

 

This four piece are one of my favourites. It feels like they could be two different bands. Gritty, edgy and the right amount of aggressive, and that’s just the epic bass lines. Or, soft and mysterious with their tuneful harmonies and subtle riffs. It’s the best combination of good and evil. Their latest single ‘Channel 9xx’ is a devious enigma, it puts you in a trance where you don’t have any other option than to be hooked.

 

2. CRYSTAL

 

This is another fantastic indie/punk band that are taking the Glasgow scene by storm. With a dedicated social media following and the vast experience they’ve had, such as supporting Paolo Nutini at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, they have everything in the bag to become Glasgow’s next big success. Check out their music on Spotify which has even been featured on the Hot New Bands playlist!

 

3. Rigid Soul

 

Rigid Soul are one of the best sources for classic, bluesy, and unique tunes that can be hard to find for their age. They belong in the 60s alongside Hendrix and The Doors, and dare I say could be just as great even at the age of nineteen. There is nothing but good things coming up for this trio, fresh from supporting Kyle Falconer from The View.

 

4. All The Franklins

 

ATF aren’t your usual local band. They seem to come and go, going from periods of constant gigs to small stems of a hiatus. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. Look at is as if they are constantly coming up with new music. I have seen then around four times, and every time I hear new outstanding original tracks that blow me away. A rich mix of blues and psychedelic melodies, they are a band you must see if you get the opportunity to.

 

5. Zoe Graham

 

Ending on this lovely lady, Zoe Graham is a Glasgow favourite. Her beautiful song writing is phenomenal, showing levels of maturity that really makes her stand out from the rest. Whether it be playing with her full band or doing a solo set with her loop pedals, everything is so unique, and shows that Zoe’s talents are endless.

 

 

GIG REVIEW: Seasick Steve

On Wednesday the 9th of August I somehow felt like I was back in the good old times of music. I was at the Kelvingrove bandstand seeing the legendary Seasick Steve, and of course his drummer ‘Crazy Dan’, who were utterly brilliant.

There are a couple of reasons why I felt like I was living in a different era entirely. Firstly, it was an open air concert at the bandstand in Kelvingrove Park, which is nearly 100 years old, and was refurbished in recent years after the old foundations of it were lacking life. The £2.1 million restoration certainly was worth it, as it poses as a totally unique venue for Scotland. It gives the audience a true raw feeling of simply enjoying good music, just like the crowd was at a concert from decades ago, without all the cameras and smartphones up in the air during an entire concert. 

This is something that Seasick Steve pointed out himself during the evening. Even something I completely cringed at. During the first couple of songs, grown adults, yes grown adults, kept on getting up during songs and walking to the front to take a selfie of themself with Steve in the background. It was funny at first, then it just got ridiculous. Steve said he would slap the next person who got up and did it, and sure enough, there was a chancer. When this woman got up to take her picture, Steve completely stopped playing and stood still, and for a moment I thought he might’ve just walked off stage, as he looked so pissed off, and I don’t blame him. Later on, he apologised for saying what he said, but explained that it was better in the good old days when fans simply wanted to shake his hand rather than needing to get a photo. But the majority of the crowd were not cringeworthy idiots, they were cheerful, singing and dancing people just there to listen to good music, and that was enough for Steve to play the rest of the concert with his usual joy and upbeat spirit.

Another reason I felt as if I was back in a different time of music, and even society, was because the music just felt truly bare, but in a good way. There was no techno, fake beat, loud or clashy noise that is filling up the ‘chart music’ today. It was just Steve and Dan; drums and many guitars, if you could even call some of Steve guitars a ‘guitar’. One was made up of a washboard and a banjo neck, and sounded pretty impressive if you ask me, who personally has no clue about actual instruments themselves. A three string guitar was played also, which I’ve come to learn that Steve is very well known for playing, and how he can make up so many different riffs is beyond me. He seems like the type who can make something out of anything big or little, and make that something very mind blowing. In this case, his songs, that sound simple yet so complex at the same time.

My personal favourite song of Seasick Steve’s is Gypsy Blood, which was his opener, and got the crowd bustling from the first chord. My other favourites from the night were Summetime Boy and Get My Drift, both of which saw Steve really come and embrace the whole audience with this southern character. As a side note, I don’t believe Get My Drift is on any album, so Steve, if there’s the tiniest chance you’re reading this… get it on your next album, because it’s so edgy and I love it.

As a whole, despite the embarrassing nuisances, the concert was one which felt like it was one of a kind, I didn’t know all of the songs and admittedly I didn’t think I was that big of a fan of Steve’s, but as a drunk woman asked me in the bathroom after the gig, “Are you a follower or a convert?” Well, I definitely am a convert after that night. 

rest in peace chris cornell

There are no words to describe my sadness over the death of Chris Cornell, who died too young at 52. I was shocked and just so, so heartbroken. He was one of my favourite singers in the world, a voice I could regularly turn to if I was feeling down. His songs would always lift me up. Never have I felt this sad over a musician passing away, he was just so special to me and always will be.

Andrew Wood

27 years ago today the world lost the mighty Andrew Wood of Mother Love Bone, one of the pioneers of the Seattle scene in the 1990s. I’ve always said that without Andrew Wood, there would never be the success of my favourite bands today.

I can easily say that Mother Love Bone’s album, Apple, is my favourite album of all time. I don’t use that term lightly. Each song on the album is so unique and different to the rest. It’s simply a marvellous piece of music.

Andrew himself was so unique. So eccentric and raw. He unfortunately did not get to spend enough time on this planet, to make more music and fill the world with his grace and talent. But he will always be remembered as a true legend.

Up and Coming Band: Rigid Soul

Disclaimer: I am in no way bias in this blog post just because I personally know Rigid Soul, this is my own opinion.

There are 2 types of ‘rock’ bands nowadays. Firstly, there’s the band that holds their guitars so high up their chest that it just looks ridiculous. They’re clad in patterned shirts or denim jackets, and you can’t forget the beanie. They try so hard to mimic indie bands such as Foals or Bastille. (Why would you want to be anything like Bastille? They’re terrible.)

Secondly, you have the ‘rock’ band that overall just tries too hard. Either it’s trying too hard to have a certain attitude like Kurt Cobain, where it just becomes cringey to watch, or they try too hard to produce their ‘original’ music, which ends up sounding just like any other commercial rock band today.

So there’s either stereotypical indie or harder rock bands. But which do Rigid Soul come under? Neither.

GIG REVIEW: Kings of Leon

February the 27th saw the return of KoL to the Hydro in Glasgow, their first date in Scotland since 2014. I happened to be at that gig 3 years ago, and I can honestly say they came back bigger and better. Their 7th album, WALLS, was a sensation, and the WALLS tour was totally the icing on the cake. You can see my review of the album here.

Picture taken by Erin Lindsay.

Could TRNSMT be better than T in the Park?

TITP’s ‘little sister’ festival was announced in January, with many keen festival goers wondering which acts would take the Glasgow Green stage. On Tuesday this week, the 31st of January, the line up was released. I was completely shocked that such a contrasting and divergent line up of artists could come from the same makers of TITP.

GIG REVIEW: Black Sabbath

On Tuesday the 24th of January 2017, the founders of heavy metal music Black Sabbath played their last ever show in Scotland.

Let me tell you, it was something I’ll never forget.