On a rather wet and unpleasant evening, the role of first support slot is not one to be envied, so Paul Alexander had a tough job on his hands. Thankfully, Paul’s slow and melancholic musical air merged well with the dark night, easing the crowd into the evening nicely, although possibly too quietly for the chattering masses at the back of the venue. ‘Maria’, with its woozy harmonica was a highlight and when Louise Hendry accompanied Paul on keyboards and vocals, the songs fleshed out a bit in depth, all in all, a decent start to proceedings.
Next up was Beerjacket, a wonderful invention and thankfully, another strong solo performer that Glasgow is producing nowadays. Being a bit louder and having a quicker tempo than Paul Alexander helped in getting the crowd more involved and managed to come stronger. Perhaps it was all in the strum or the strong vocals but there was a jaunty feel to Beerjacket’s set, perhaps full of hope than cheeriness but of a good quality throughout.
The release of Evan Crichton’s EP was the key reason for the evening but the live show still managed to be a treat. With a band containing not only the first support act but Pete from The State Broadcasters, there was no doubt about the talent on show so it was pleasing to see the music live up to the billing. Evans voice is tremendous, at times achingly beautiful, as others as strong as an ox. The songs themselves covered a few bases, Teenage Fanclub-esque melodies and upbeat musical offerings, blending with softer tracks relying on solo guitar and vocals there was something for everyone throughout the set.
It may have been miserable outside but inside Mono, all was well with the world and Glasgow’s singer songwriters.