Well, I did wonder if I might have jumped the gun with doing a blog post about my favourite gigs of 2024 before all my gigs of 2024 had been complete. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy!
Events leading up to it hadn’t been so great. My gig buddy for the show, Sue, had been dreaming of her piece de resistance of the two nights at the Barras seeing Del Amitri following on from the Travis show since the time we’d booked the tickets back in the spring, made all the more anticipatory when we did the tour of the Barras in November. Unfortunately, Sue had injured her back around a week prior to the show. We couldn’t find a taker for Sue’s spare ticket, so I was kind of Billy Nomates for the show …. though not entirely – just for being in the seating area on my tod.
Michelle was going to the gig but had bought a GA standing ticket. We arranged to meet up before the show and have a late lunch at trusty old favourite, Cafe Andaluz. The city centre restaurant was fully booked all through the afternoon until later in the evening, so we decided upon the West End restaurant instead. It all worked out pretty well. I dodged the worst of the weather on my way in, heading to Ashfield during a dry spell, even though it meant I spent 20 minutes there waiting for the train. Better to make it there dry and use the shelter on the platform to stay dry until the train arrived. The gap between the Queen Street exit and the ramp to Buchanan subway is ten yards away at most, so I was grand skipping across there. It was a little dreich once I got to Hillhead but it was mostly just drips from buildings being carried by the wind – which was blowing a bloody gale! As I waited for Michelle to join me outside the restaurant, the sky was clear. I could actually see blue!
The restaurant got progressively busier as we dined. When we left (around two hours later), the skies were still clear. That meant we could head to the Hydro as we had planned by getting back on the subway and travelling to Cessnock and walking over to the venue from there. The weather continued to be on our side as we queued for open doors. We didn’t have long to wait, arriving just a little before 6.30pm. Separate queues for the separate sections of the Hydro meant we had to part company then, at least until we got inside. That was the theory anyway except I couldn’t find Michelle once inside. I decided to head upstairs to my seat, visiting the ‘facilities’ on the way.
I had forgotten that there was a second support act on the bill. A solo female artist, Juanita Stein, performed first. Her style has a classic rock/country kinda vibe – a bit Alannah Myles/Sheryl Crow …. in that kind of vein. It was just her and a drummer on stage. I enjoyed her short set. I’ve looked into future dates already and she’ll be playing at Nice N Sleazy on 18 March and I think I may just go and see her. I’m still yet to pop my Nice N Sleazy cherry and Juanita may just be the lady that helps me out there.
I enjoy turning up to gigs early. I love supporting the – support acts. I’m finding some wonderful artists this way. Of course Hamish came my way through supporting Simple Minds at Princes Street Gardens and this year I’ve been exposed to Zoe Graham through her support slots with Echo and the Bunnymen and Lo Moon. Also Ebony Buckle and Leoni Jane Kennedy are on my radar too having both been support (and in Leoni’s case also a band member) for The Anchoress.
I also like listening to the music that plays pre-gig. I like hearing what’s playing as it gives you clues on the influences the acts have had on their music. Between Juanita and Hamish’s sets the music was playing again. Suddenly, the familiar crash of Mel Gaynor drums and jangle of Charlie Burchill guitar filled the Hydro as ‘Speed Your Love To Me’ played through the auditorium. It’s the little things in life that warms the cockles.
I was still quite a lone figure up in the seats. There weren’t too many people around me. Filled seats were dotted about here and there and my row was pretty empty. I had three ladies seated in front of me. They seemed of an age that surprised me actually. They looked easily into their late 60s but more like into their 70s. I mean, god love them!
So, the band come out. I’m already buzzing seeing Stefan, John, Olly and Andy arrive on stage. They launch straight into ‘Machiavelli’s Room’ and a few seconds later on strides Hamish and I can’t help but try and make my voice heard even from way up in the gods. Of course I’m the only voice within my section calling out like that for the ‘support act.’ And I’m there being conscious of not wanting to be too loud as I don’t want to be one of ‘those’ fans – especially for the ladies in front of me. But I just had to whoop, holler and cheer for Hamish after every song – how could I not?! It was a tight set filled with highlights from A Firmer Hand – with ‘Nancy Dearest,’ ‘Big Cat Tattoos,’ ‘Disingenuous’ and ‘Men Like Wire’ all performed along with the Machiavellian opener. The racquet sports one (aka ‘The Mauritian Badminton Doubles Champion 1973’) was performed – and it was marvellous hearing a moderately filled Hydro crowd singing ‘Jim dear’ when the chorus warranted it. The set ended with ‘Caterpillar’ and I’m pretty darn sure that Monsieur Hawk and co had won some more fans over. Certainly the three ladies in front of me appeared won over.
He said at the end of the set he’d be out at the merch stall. There was nothing else for it than for me to leg it downstairs and get to the merch stall if for no other reason (for there was no other reason) than in the vain hope of saying hi to him, tell him he’s fucking fantastic and to say I’ll be seeing him in February – thrice. I get to the merch stall and there’s no sign of him. Do I have the wrong one? A quick look over the rest – nope. This is the only stall area selling Hamish Hawk merch. I thought that he must still be making his way there and if I didn’t see him in a few mins, or he was somehow already inside the stall area I’d forget it and just go back to my seat. I looked about and suddenly there he was right in front of me posing for a selfie with a couple of fans. Once he was done I rushed to him and hugged him, saying ‘Oh I didn’t think I was going to see you.’ He says ‘It’s lovely to see you but I’ve got to get to the merch stall.’ ‘I know,’ I say ‘but I just wanted to say hi and that you were fantastic and I’ll see you in February.’ ‘Thank you, I’ll see you then,’ he said and away he went. He’s just gonna get busier and busier this man! From the very first time seeing him headline his own show, I have always wanted to make a point of seeing him after, just to thank him and just so he knows how bloody awesome he is. There’s just a compulsion in me to do it. The first time, even without thinking I hugged him and he said afterwards ‘I’m really sweaty, sorry.’ I was like ‘It doesn’t matter. I don’t care!’ I can’t explain it. I feel like a mum hugging her son or something. It’s like a kind of ‘that’s ma boy!’ moment. Silly really.
Back to my seat feeling all the more joyous for the opportunity of seeing Hamish for those fleeting seconds, I was really pumped for Travis. I had never seen Travis live before. I wouldn’t have declared myself the biggest fan. I did buy The Man Who waaaay back in the day. And I loved ‘Driftwood,’ ‘Writing To Reach You,’ ‘Turn’ and ‘Why Does It Always Rain On Me?’ … I knew ‘Sing’ and liked it, knew of ‘Flowers In The Window’ but didn’t know much of their more recent material and wasn’t sure how much newer stuff they’d preform and all that. I didn’t go in with high expectations, really. In all honesty, I was there to see Hamish play at a venue as big as the Hydro and to see how his music would come across. I wanted to experience him winning over more fans. Like I say…silly ‘proud mum’ vibes and all that.
Travis were fantastic! Because I’d never experienced them live before I really didn’t know what to expect. Fran Healy as a frontman – cards on the table, I wondered if he really has the ‘frontman’ vibes, you know. But, aye! He does! Must be something in the water at Holyrood High, breeding stellar frontmen for rock bands or something. **shrugs** This is a point, actually. I read an article yesterday in which Fran says he’s fae Possilpark – WHAAAAAAAAA? Really? That’s quite a way to go to school, innit? From Possil to Crosshill/Southside Central? I mean…if the 75 bus ran back in the day, he coulda got on at Saracen Street and rode the bus to Aikenhead Rd … mabbies? Hmmm. Anyway, it’s by the by.
So, they did all the hits you’d expect and of the songs I wasn’t familiar with, I really enjoyed them. ‘Closer’ I only vaguely knew. Fran gave a wee bit of background on it and asked us all to get our phones out and light them up. It’s amazing how well lit the Hydro can get with a few thousand phones on acting as torches. It was a lovely moment and the song is sweet.
Nearing the end of the show, there was a big old rendition of ‘Mull of Kintyre.’ Members of the crew were dressed as Santas. Fran had requested a lyrics sheet for the song. One Santa showed him the lyrics down by his feet and he said ‘I’ll never fucking see those! Can ya like put ’em on that music stand out the back for me or summat?’ So Santa goes off stage with the lyric sheets. In the meantime Fran is talking about Paul McCartney when Santa arrives back with the lyrics taped down the central pole of the music stand. As the they start playing, the stage begins filling up, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers come out on stage as does Hamish and the band and Juanita as well. The whole of the Hydro is singing along. It was pretty awesome actually.
The finale was, of course, ‘Why Does It Always Rain On Me?’ and it was also a mass singalong. Santas on stage and all. It was a pretty fantastic gig all round. Definitely a highlight for 2024 and a wonderful way to round off a bit of a mixed bag of a year.
I made my way downstairs ready for a longish wait for my taxi. I saw Michelle in the queue for the cloakroom. We said our goodbyes and I made my way to the exit for the Campanile. The skies were STILL clear! I didn’t mind the idea of the wait, the Campanile reception area is a cosy spot to wait around in – except, when I got there – THEY’VE CLOSED THE RECEPTION AREA AT NIGHT, THE FUCKERS! So, there I was, Billy Nomates once again, waiting around in a darkened car park for a taxi I thought might turn up in 30 minutes if I was lucky. Mercifully, the wait was VERY short. I had booked the cab for 11pm and I got there a few minutes before. To my astonishment, my cab arrived five minutes later. The driver expertly weaved his way through the traffic and dropped me off at me door around 11.20pm. A-MAZ-ING! I gave him a tip. He deserved it.
And so…unless something crops up for January (I win an all expenses paid trip to Amsterdam so I can see Hamish at the Paradiso – I WISH!) – the first gig for 2025 will be Field Music at Oran Mor on 2 February.
As I was up in the rafters, I took few photos and only a bit of video (something of SYLTM playing between sets, and a wee bit of the phone lights for ‘Closer’) so I’ll share a couple of Michelle’s videos and a few of the photos I took.
