This was the kind of night that makes one (one Betty Mayonnaise, in this instance) just happy to be alive, in this late flowering, warm, breezy so-called Indian Summer, well the actual summer had its moments as well…
So for a minimal fee “Last Night in Glasgow” have crowd-funded this album launch – Teen Canteen (more of whom later) launch an long overdue debut album, supported by two highly recommended acts who showcase (ok, crap word but you know what ah mean) all that is good in emerging and new music in these later months of the year of our Brexit 2016.
So without further ado – but first – Mono is looking great tonight, these stenciled images of Stephen Pastel, Sid Vicious and Jeremy Corbyn on the (architects correct Betty here, architectural correction is a speciality and pays quite highly) “dome” (which absorbs a lot of sound so it doesnae sound like it is booming off the ceiling, a real “space” for artistry) – really give it status (only joking friends, but who are the images based on and who did them, trivia question that BM does not know the answer to…)
So first up is Stephen Solo, who goes up against the already mounting crowd (this event is sold out and turning people away at the door, success for LNIG), giving us some quick summary regarding how things will go – “recorded these on my iphone, and last night the headphone socket failed – a coincidence?” – he played along with the backing track with some plangent live guitar, some emotional vocals and there were some memorable tunes – BM loved “Behind your Eyes”, a Buggles influence surely, combo of Kraftwerkesque backing and bleeps with Beatlesesque melodies, quality for sure – others are more eccentric, and SS himself admits that having a very young child has affected his sleep patterns and possibly his sanity. But this was a very good first support act, Betty hopes to have further relations with SS soonish.
Boo Hoo Hoo are up next – they blew, yes readers blew – BM away at the Ette album launch in August and enquiries are ongoing (ie they have not yet replied to the Ten WithBetty, claiming to “overthink things”, och well didn’t realise any of the questions were all that intellectual…) Another ridiculously catchy set from them tonight. They are a four-piece (won’t even try to define who plays what here) referencing Chic/The Bee Gees/Talking Heads via The Pet Shop Boys, and then something else, just sheer energy, ach also The Ting Tings – this sound spreads like a virus among the crowd and even those of us carrying injuries are quite literally forced to dance (another Shoeless Josie moment for BM) – BM has also managed to source some tracks online because incredibly this lot are not “signed” (fine), have no “official” outlets for music yet and are not actually organised to do anything about it until bloomin late October – it has just blown up for them and even track names are a bit hard to reference – just to say that by the end of this year they could, should and probably will be massive, just happy to be in their orbit at this packed show with members of the headline band dancing around in abandon, everybody is having a good time, could it really be any better than that – an infusion of funkiness (almost never use that word but there are times…), like a disco inferno, emanating, out of Kings Court tonight, and across the land, BM just feels so privileged to have been groovin’ in their company…ok have got some track names from YouTube now – ‘Now is the Season’, ‘Mould Me’, ‘Stay Intact’ …amazing…
So headliners Teen Canteen have a new album out, their debut, and it is called “SEALED WITH A KISS” (ok?) and is on “Last Night in Glasgow Records”. A four-(tonight five) piece all-female combo, they have been going for a few years (BM reviewed them at Tenement Trail in 2014) and here they are, all grown up and releasing on I-Tunes among other outlets.
A lot of effort has gone into their show tonight, the backdrop of slogan teeshirts designed and curated by Scottish artistic legend (and former Soup Dragons drummer) Mr Ross Sinclair, and jolly good they looked too. The band ramped it up with a furious attack on their lead single ‘Honey’, lead singer Carla’s unique vocal (pitched somewhere between Lulu and Roni Spector, in a good way, no really) – dispenses compliments and put-downs at will towards the titular “Honey”, the kind of guy that BM would definitely nail with a Stilletto cos he is gonna be v bad news, sisters…
There is thrashed guitar, trenchant keyboard effects, boomingly effective drums and Kim Gordonesque bass, and – this lot are not afraid to experiment, for example on the threatening ‘Darling’ – this is like an open book therapy session but never OTT, just really garrulous, feisty and real, these girls will not stand for anything less!
During the performance BM had words with Carla’s “boss at work”, christ if every boss was as supportive as this the world would truly be a better place!!!
This band really does throw everything into their performance, and they have defo notched up a few gears since 2014, the strength of the songs has really energised them and these are now mini-operas with a trail of casualties left in their wake (mainly guys with their trousers down or at best at half mast…)…oh dear…
So the evening ends with an epic cover of TLC’s ‘Waterfalls’ – this was a truly eargasmic moment, a perfectly judged moment blending nostalgia for a classic and oft-forgotten track with the firepower and talent already on the Mono stage.
Teen Canteen ruled this, and on this showing will keep on ruling – fakers beware!