I had a more laidback night out than perhaps some of the more recent nights out I’ve had during the summer. The gig in question was not on the agenda for me until a few weeks back. My friend Ronnie McGhie invited me along as his ‘plus one’ for the show. The show in question was to see Megan Black at Room 2 – a basement gig venue just off Nelson Mandela Place. Not a venue I was familiar with or had ever been to before. Ronnie had played one of Megan’s numbers on his radio show and I expressed my interest in being his plus one for the gig.
I met up with Ronnie at Central station in the late afternoon. From there we headed to Panang – one of my favourite eateries in the city centre. It was pretty quiet when we arrived. We had a great chinwag whilst downing some absolutely fabulous cuisine. Panang offer their own version of a dim sum/tapas experience. Their a la carte menu has a “small plates” section where several dishes can be ordered and shared between diners. It’s a great way to get yourself satisfactorily satiated without the fear of overdoing things (although I’m sure it can easily end up in a case of “my eyes were bigger than my belly” and overconsumption). It also means that prices are affordable.
With some time left still, we headed to a bar just off Buchanan Street. Ronnie was driving so stuck to the non-alcoholic beer whilst I’d had a cocktail at Panang (a lychee and lemongrass Collins – which was VERY nice) and also at the bar we headed to, The Lab. My choice this time was a cocktail called the Bonnie Boat, consisting of: Talisker Skye, honey and ginger syrup and Angostura bitters. IT WAS STRONG! It was served on the rocks and boy did I let those ice cubes melt. Holy moly! I was still tasting the Talisker the next day.
Room 2 is a very handy venue. Apart from The Royal Concert Hall – which in a case of “sod’s law” I’ve not been to for a gig since we moved to Glasgow – Room 2 is the nearest gig venue I know of in proximity to Queen Street station. That was quite the fabulous experience I must say, leaving a venue and being inside Queen Street station less than five minutes later. Wonderful!
But I’m getting ahead of myself!
To the gig itself!
Megan had two support acts on the bill. First up was Liv Dawn, a singer-songwriter from Loch Lomond. She had a blend of country/Americana/folk. I enjoyed her set and kudos for her choice of cover with Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’ – an impressive version it was too. Liv is releasing an EP in a few weeks time and she’ll be showcasing it with a gig at Stereo on 23 October – I am seriously contemplating attending.
Next up was Ellysse Mason whose voice is really something else and who absolutely ROCKED! I probably enjoyed her set even more to be honest. I do love a pure rock chick and that was the vibe that Ellysse gave. Great rocking songs and a great voice, she is one I’ll be keeping my eye on.
Then to the main attraction – Megan appeared in a sheer sunflower-y cape, orange-tinted round glasses and looking for all the world like a Glaswegian reincarnate of Janis Joplin. She certainly has a stage presence! Songs performed offered classic rock vibes with titles such as ‘Fuck You,’ ‘Funk for Introverts,’ ‘San Francisco,’ and the utterly contagious ‘Clemintine.’ I felt like I was bathed in Californian sunshine inside that wee sweaty basement. Statement, protest and satire all packing an artistic punch. Megan told us this show will be her last in Glasgow for a while as she is now moving over to the States and setting up base in the sunny Californian hills. Whenever she returns for a hame gig, I hope to be there for that return.
I have some friends and acquaintances that don’t seem to rate female artists. And how I wish there didn’t have to be this gender labelling still – but the patriarchy continues in its strength. Most of these friends/acquaintances ARE women, which I find just so perplexing beyond belief, but hey – I guess I get it but at the same time I don’t. All I know is that on Friday night I saw three amazing artists and it was fantastic to see a completely female-led bill.
I had such a fabulous night. Ronnie is great company. Great food, great chat, and a great gig – what more can a girl ask for?
My only regret was not seeing if there was a Megan Black t-shirt at the merch stall in my size. I did walk away with some mementos of the night – the last copy of Megan’s CD from the stall and a signed mini poster of the show.
Sorry I only have a couple of photos and a bit of footage of Liv Dawn’s set. The rest of the night I just didn’t want to be “that dick” with her phone out, so I kept it away. I’ve added some clips sourced from elsewhere through this post.
Next up for me is Zoe Graham in mid-September.