This review covers the “other” acts at GGLZ on this day of apocalyptic weather and fine music… for the opening act see forthcoming Steak and Kidney review.
Holy Mountain
We are on the Green (as you can maybe tell from the review’s title). Coming on after such showbiz royalty was always going to be a hard task for Holy Mountain but they rose to the challenge in exemplary fashion. The rain got worse, the crowd thinned out (hardcore Kidney devotees being escorted back to care homes and psychiatric wards across the land, “nurse, the screens” etc)
Holy Mountain are a balls-out, taps aff (lead guitar player at least, pouring rain not a problem) three piece rock outfit in the mould of Led Zep or Queens of the Stone Age, but without the pesky song structures and melodies – just wall-to-wall riffs. On a huge stage (probably biggest venue they have played so far was supporting at the Barras, Twilight Sad if Betty recalls correctly) they sounded great and ripped through a fistful of pounding “cuts”, as Betty believes they might say in the industry. Strapping young lads they were too, although the appearance of 2 Scottish rugby sevens athletes before their set (they said, well nothing, really, what do expect rugger players to add to verbal nuances really?) did probably indicate that a diet of Buckfast and chips may not mark Holy Mountain out as the next Scottish rugby internationals, but never mind. Good set from a promising band, the riffs can only get mightier and respect due from Betty.
Errors
The rain was falling and the setting did not especially suit post-rock (with electronics) but Glasgow trio Errors played a respectable set given that their core audience was not exactly turned on by the prospect of an afternoon on the Green. They did pretty well by all accounts and played a couple of oldies but goldies (sorry guys, was distracted at this point by the kids and the fact that implants have been leaking into the bloodstream and causing havoc with hormones and blood pressure levels so had to lie down for a while – he was very cooperative let Betty tell you, or maybe not, this is a U or 12A review after all.
Trembling Bells
Betty made a wee trip over to the “tent”, in fact a massive wooden erection (steady on missus etc) which Betty thinks has previously featured in the Burns an’ A’ That Festival in Buckfast holiday hotspot Ayr. It had been on the Green all week and is a great space for music and Betty arrived mid-set. TB were terrorising hard-working families and children with their high-tempo (and volume) Jefferson Airplane-referencing keyboard driven racket. Ordinary punters were staring open-mouthed as lead singer (and relative of Scottish hippy royalty Incredible String Band’s Robin What’s his Name) pummelled the keys and shook her blonde mane for all it was worth. The keyboard had tassels on it, sure sign of hippy tendencies but respect due nonetheless. One of the guitar players was sporting a Rick Wakeman-esque cape, not a surprise for this combo but still a crime under common law (Scotland Act 1974 Kill All Hippies, sub-section 19) and Betty was tempted to make a citizens’ arrest. However, live and let live I say (with a few exceptions) and they were not hurting any small children or animals (although admittedly Betty did not go backstage). After a couple of numbers Betty made her excuses and left, however would consider seeing them again (that’s what BM says to all her dates though).
Malcolm Middleton
Back to the main stage, the rain was even worse and the sky was darkening so who better to sum up the Commonwealth Games positive spirit than Falkirk’s own MM. Betty is a long term fan, been a couple of years since the Malc experience has been experienced though and had a few trepidations that if more athletes were brought on it could turn into a moan-off, or something. Malc appeared with full band (Jenny Reeve on accompanying vocals and a couple of the usual suspects (in a good way guys) on drums and bass. Think he cracked a smile as the rain got worse, very polite with the audience, perhaps some evidence of media training (only joking). He started with the “du du du, du du du du du” song (very catchy) and continued with his 2010 (or thereabouts?) Christmas number one attempt ‘We’re All Going To Die – Alone’ (Betty could repeat the chorus but that’s pretty much it, actually darn it, let’s just do that – “We’re all going to die We’re all going to die We’re all going to die We’re all going to die We’re all going to die We’re all going to die We’re all going to die We’re all going to die We’re all going to die We’re all going to die – Alone” (cut and paste function was really useful there and brought out the subtlety of Malc’s performance). Alcoholic stay-at-home torch song ‘Blue Bags’ (sic) was also performed, along with ‘Brighter Beat’ – Malc is a legend, great to see him on such a big stage, the pishing rain is what he would have been hoping for…
Edwyn Collins
Edwyn was in the tent thing and it was impossible to get in, round the back of the stage it was possible to hear this acoustic set very clearly. EC was in good form, harmonising with another guitarist (couldn’t quite see though) on some more recent material (while various celebs like Vic Galloway took a slash in the portaloos) and then a series of Orange Juice classics, ‘Falling And Laughing’ and the inevitable ‘Rip It Up’ ending the set, sounded good even from outside the venue.
The Bluebells
Arrived midway through this one on the main stage, they seemed to be enjoying themselves with some band member’s young kids dancing on the stage and then someone’s daughter refreshing the rider, handing out fresh bottles of beer, bless. As middle-age men who should know better, they cut a fair rug although disappointing that No 1 hit (and yes, as someone who should know observed to Betty today, Chem have been very influential but none of their artists have sold anything into the millions or topped any charts) was riffed on an accordian rather than fiddle, but they probably don’t talk about that, original riffer won legal royalities battle for rights to share of song, handbags at dawn etc. Sorry guys, BM knows these things happen, had some absolute bitch steal one of Betty’s tricks back in the day, but again, we really certainly can’t talk about that…
The Phantom Band
The rain was epically bad at this point, it was a physical battle for the audience just to remain in the field, Rick Redbeard did quip “Did anyone win any medals, swimming maybe”? (a bit left-field at the time but probably in retrospect the wittiest slow-burn quipette of the day, respect and new speedoes due Rick). BM is a fan of PB (Rick also quipped about the backdrop saying “Phantom Band”, it then changed to “The Phantom Band” – “this is an organisation who gets things done, I can certainly work with them, etc” – quip to his Chem bosses. Don’t know all their new material (album 3 now released) so won’t name any tracks, just to say that it sounded great and this was during the worst of the precipitation onslaught.
Lloyd Cole and the Leopards
So they were on last, as the sky darkened but the rain largely stayed off. BM saw Lloyd several times back in the 80s and the trio of Commotions albums remain some of the most melodic, literate (if at times showing off a bit) of the era, with some darker tracks among the jangly riffings. Original Commotions have done reformation stuff a few years ago (tickets were expensive – if you remember paying £5 for them in the 80s… You are turning into a carping nostalgic Betty, time for those pills again).
Anyway, LC was playing with the Leopards, a selection of the finest janglers and riffers from that era, BM can’t be arsed at this late stage to onto F**ipedia and namecheck them all but think Douglas McIntyre and ex Josef K musicians were among them. LC must be around 50 now and the years on the fairway have been fairly kind, the matinee idol good looks still in evidence and if the rain hadn’t made Betty moist, well Lloyd added an extra something…
The set comprised a one-two alternation between Commotions material and more recent (anything since about 1987) solo material, and worked a treat. The more recent stuff (‘Womens’ Studies’ is from most recent record almost certainly and ‘Baby You’re Too Well Read’ from perhaps an older release, not sure) sounded great and included some classic Cole couplets covering the war between the sexes and other related subjects. Homages were paid in the most recent material to both Leonard Cohen and the late 70s indie scene, Josef K and Fast Product being specifically mentioned – nice work.
Most people were however here to here the 84-87 material and he did deliver, from ‘Rattlesnakes’, still after all these years a scathing sermon on love, still can’t conceive how he conjured it up in some bedroom in Bearsden or flat off Byres Rd. ‘Perfect Skin’ was perfect, quips about “well isn’t everyone” s**xually enlighted by Cosmopolitan Magazine” went down especially well (as a former agony aunt on that throbbing member BM can vouch for that). A real treat was ‘Jennifer She Said’ from the difficult third and final Commotions waxing, possibly the darkest realisation of Lloyd’s modernist take on love, but so simple, and very clear to note how many guitar riffs the Commotions and Smiths shared and nicked off each other. He loved the audience and audience loved him, enough said really.
After just inciting another series of court cases (if Morrissey reads ITM, and it’s a bit unlikely, he might send the lawyers in, again), Betty did exit this stage, although on the night (city was jumping, just as well Betty had a change of knickers, fluffed knockers and most user-friendly heels on) it was a hot foot over the Green to the Merchant City for another gig review – watch this space, lovers.
Images courtesy of www.andrewmckenna.net