This was a fundraiser for the wonderful Govan-based Starter Packs charity which provides direct aid in kind to people who really need it – the place was pretty busy with some of the audience more interested in the music than others, evidenced by the large amount of gabbing which came from the other end of the table BM was initially sitting at during Stilton’s set.
The venue is actually not bad (BM had been in before for a Steg G album launch) with a low but wide stage, however no one had thought about any lighting on the stage (there were some spotlights on the ceiling but we never found out if they actually worked…). Stilton’s set was pretty decent in fact, BM recognised at least the last song, with Lavinia and Marco’s vocals complementing each other nicely with that slightly Mamas and Pappas-esque vibe, piano and guitar backed with drums and bass.
Until now it hadn’t exactly been stated what else was going to happen and how, but it became clear Aidan Moffat was booked for a solo spoken word set and and BM has to say there was a bit of trepidation regarding how well (or not) this would go down.
He started with a health warning regarding children and the easily offended – just as well! Long term Moffat aficionados such as BM knew exactly what the tone of the material was likely to be, and were not in the least surprised, but did spot some (actually more of the younger element of the audience) tutting and frowning…
Several pieces (sung, AM can certainly hold a tune solo even if he couldn’t read all the words due to the non-lit stage!) from the ‘Where You’re Meant To Be’ album starting with ‘I’m A Rover’, and also ‘The Kirriemuir Orgy’ did rather turn the air blue and the rampant lewdness could possibly have come over a bit Bernard Manning to some people – both of those songs were originally placed in the context of the album and film concept but in an open charity BM understands why they might have come across as a bit much but there you go… not as if people weren’t warned.
Several other pieces such as ‘Macaroni Pie’ and ‘Yer Dug’ involved a bit less sex and more humour, while the closer ‘Parting Song’ was rather poignant. AM would also probably be the first to admit he hadn’t done stuff like this for a while and was a wee under-rehearsed – anyway it was for a good cause so screw the haters!
Stevie Jackson then took to the stage with a newly constituted combo he referred to as The Reverberations – comprising himself on guitar/vocals, fellow B&S member on additional guitar plus other less familiar faces on bass (Dave), drums and organ.
Together they certainly made a pleasurable racket as they stormed through a few SJ originals (opener was ‘Try Me'” from the SJ solo album, which fairly rocked with ’60s beat combo energy, ‘Where Do All The Good Girls Go’ was played, and the B&S staple ‘Chick Factor’ also got an airing).
It was clear that Stevie was enjoying this, throwing guitar hero shapes and mugging to the others as the audience reacted, the several people dancing on the floor soon becoming an eager crowd. The band went on to play a selection of covers including a great ‘Green Onions’, a majestic ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll’ and a fairly ridiculous ‘Under Pressure’, by this point joined by Marco doing the Mercury vocal line while Stevie attempted a Bowie croon.
Things cranked up a further gear with ‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting’ before Lavinia and the boy from the Arab Strap joined them for a grand finale of ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ (a favourite Strap cover back in the day) before things jarred to a noisy close.
And the evening ended, not started, with the raffle, which really does sound like the start of some song, doesn’t it readers.