This gig was basically a play-through of Glasgow-based Sister John’s first (and now five years old, amazing how time flies!) album ‘Returned From Sea’ in all its glory.
But first the capacity audience (with LNFG label supremo Ian Smith on the door and some very polite but firm “STFU” notices on the bar and elsewhere, nice one Ian!) got a wee appetiser in the shape of former Bather, Friend Again and many other things besides, Chris Thomson, who played acoustic versions of songs mainly released under the moniker of said bands. His Van Morrison (when he was good) meets Nick Cave croon led to total silence in the room and many men of a certain age stood rapt – BM would like to hope that we can get more appearances like this from Chris as his music deserves to be heard live as widely as possible.
“The setlist wasn’t exactly hard,” jokes Lead Sister Amanda as the four-piece launch into the first couple of tracks. It was/is an astounding debut, contemporary but also out of time, with a stillness and confidence that still beguiles.
The band members obviously also still love playing these tracks and it was just joyful to see them rise to the occasion once again, the twin fiddles of Heather and Sophie playing off each other and the deft guitar solos produced almost out of nowhere by Johnathan. As a bonus we got a further set of four more recent but just as loved tracks before the quartet took a bow and mingled with the crowd – that first SJ release wasn’t the first LNFG but maybe it felt like the first real milestone and BM can reflect (with or without sentiment) that in that period there have been so many great gigs, so many musical pals and acquaintances made, and so much new and old music released, witnessed or listened to that a Glasgow music landscape without LNFG would actually be unthinkable… so how’s that for an impact – tonight Chris, SJ and the Smiths, thank you for the music, and everything else!