Electric Frog has become a Glasgow staple, bringing an eclectic mix of music and artists to the newly refurb’d SWG3 at Finnieston.
Past events have seen the likes of Mogwai powering their post-rock prowess and the masterly miser himself, Mark E Smith, with The Fall, but tonight we’re being treated to some very different genres, of old skool electro, disco and house. The quality of the acts shows just how respected the team at EF have become, and the mix of local and international acts promises an exciting affair.
My evening kicks off with some sonic subculture, courtesy of the inimitable force of Harri & Dom, Sub Club’s Housemasters. Despite a tawdry turnout at this point, the set doesn’t disappoint, and begins to delve into the sumptuous House and quirky beats we’d expect. One wonders if the fact this is Day 2 of the Easter Weekend special explains the lack of feet on the floor, but the evening begins to warm up as we move upstairs, through the seductive disco of Thunder Disco Club and past the now infamous Photo Sofa, courtesy of photographer Brian Sweeney (see Facebook!), to sample some of the bowel-rumbling bass of Chilean-born German Matias Aguayo, a set which begins with vibrancy and energy, helped by the enthusiasm of a wired crowd, desperate to show a Glaswegian welcome to our guest. Notable in his performance is the attention to the crowd’s reaction, always appreciated, and certainly reciprocated.
The venue works brilliantly, having come so far in terms of design and the sheer quality of the sound. Equally bouncing was Optimo’s set: we know what we love, and we always love that! Following a wander down to check out the makeup girls, decorating faces with glitz and feather, and the beautiful cigarette girls, in their airline 60s chic, is Octave One, the US technoheads doing a grand job of convincing us this is Michigan and we are Detroit. I didn’t believe the volume could rise, but it does, as does the hype. Straight from Amsterdam the night before, the set is massive.
And then it’s time for home, before the pumpkin appears. Overall, a success indeed, though the price was perhaps a little inflated, and the drinks ridiculously so. If the success can be measured by the grins and babble of the crowd, then Electric Frog got it oh-so-right, though this reviewer found the night lacked a little vibrancy for the first few hours. Perhaps one night rather than the weekend would have been a better plan, though the quality of the headliners made every moment worth it. Thank Disco for the Monday holiday!