This was a glorious occasion, celebrating three years of organised chaos for the subscription-funded label Last Night from Glasgow – Scotland’s answer to Factory Records in the modern era, or so says label mainman Ian Smith.
Tonight was a cracking bill which pretty much filled Stereo, on a night with some righteous competitors (Warren Starry Sky and Desparate Journalists to name just two other gigs on tonight).
The wonderful but furiously sarcastic Stephen Solo compered the night, extracting the maximum amount of cringe for all concerned – slagging Ian off for going after someone on the bar staff for having a ukelele in her rucksack (“he signed them on the spot, to add to the other 95 acts so far this year”)…
First on was Edinburgh-based Annie Booth, with just a guitar and her voice, but she held the attention of the room, in fact songs like ‘Never Go to Church’ and ‘Solitude’ held the audience (and BM) rapt. There are further full band shows planned to promote her new EP – so more of this soon!
Foundlings were playing their first Glasgow show, being from “down south” they were a bit trepidacious but after a couple of tracks from their debut LNFG self-titled EP they really could do no wrong. Some shoegaze vibes here, and maybe even vintage Britpop like Lush or Sleeper, they certainly slayed it here, with some blistering guitar work and right up front vocals… They are a great addition to the LNFG roster and BM hopes to see them back in Scotchland soon…
Cloth are another Scottish act, a minimalist three piece who have some shades of the xx, but a very original sound. Twins Rachael and Paul twang the guitars up front and she takes the vocals, while the very talented Clare Gallagher keeps things tight on the drums but also triggers bass notes and other electronic percussion. They have already released material on LNFG and they played a blinder tonight, especially ‘Old Bear’ and “Demo Love’ – expect an album later this year on LNFG.
Sister John are in purple period, the first two albums being of great quality, and after Stephen’s toe-curling intro they just got down to it. Mainly tracks from the self-titled second album, highlights being the rollockinig ‘I’m the One’, infectiously catchy, ‘Eight Years” and ‘Airport’. This band has a timeless quality, and while Jonathan and Heather swap instruments, Sophie switches from drums to fiddle and back, and Amanda is the steadfast frontwoman, just belting it out on vocals and guitar, they just ooze class from every pore…
There were a couple from first album, including the stone cold classic ‘Try to be Good’ which in BM’s estimation is just about as good as music gets in 2019, or any year… orgasmic!
They ended with a cover of Nick Lowe’s ‘We Love Our Label’ which went down a storm, winning brownie points both from the uberfuhrer Smith and the audience.
As previously mentioned this was just such a great night and a vindication that Smith just might be Glasgow’s answer to Tony Wilson, although he will have to do some Partridge-esque antics to win that accolade! Roll on the 4th one…