This was my first chance of seeing a full headline set from Zoe, having previously seen her in support slots for Echo and the Bunnymen and Lo Moon, as well as attending her in-store set and signing at Assai Records in Glasgow.
As you may have seen from my list of upcoming gigs I was also due to attend the Edinburgh show Zoe put on the previous night at Leith Depot but the days of two gigs two nights running are becoming a thing of the past. As much as I love going to Edinburgh (maybe not so much in August) it’s a bit of a palaver to get back from, etc. Anyway, short story is, I would have loved to have gone to Edinburgh but decided against it.
It was a rare “couples” night out as I managed to coax the OH to come to the gig with me as she really likes Zoe too.
I can’t help but turn up to gigs horrendously early. Last night was no exception. This meant us spending time loitering along GWR. The puzzling thing is the amount of kitchen retailers there are along that strip of GWR between the St George’s Cross and Kelvinbridge subway stations. There must be about 10 of them – what the fook? Why so many in such a concentrated area? It’s bloody weird! How do they compete…WHY do they compete for business in such a tight space?
I digress.
Some time killed along the street, we headed back into the bar for some warmth. Zoe was setting up her merch stall. We said hello and had a brief chat. My brain wasn’t in the best functioning mode I have to admit. Later replaying it in my mind I got peed at myself for mentioning some of things I said while not mentioning other things I would have liked to have said. Bugger and damnation!
We weren’t sure when it was okay to head into the venue itself and by the time we did there were people already standing along the very small stage. We decided to head to the back, which honestly was only about maybe 5 metres from the edge of the stage. The Hug and Pint is probably the smallest venue I’ve ever been in for a gig. It felt no bigger than our front room. It would maybe hold 100 people if absolutely RAMMED. Right at the very back, the floor slightly inclines so you can just see above the heads of people – unless they are on the taller side, which mercifully doesn’t seem much of a problem in Glasgow I find. That’s not to say ALL Glaswegian (Scottish even) men are short but the average height of men here does seem to be shorter than those south of Hadrian’s Wall.
I digress, again.
Scott C. Park started his set promptly at 8.30pm. He performed for about 35 minutes. It was an enjoyable set. His music is a great blend of modern pop/rock with a smattering of traditional folk elements. Really catchy tunes that feel instantly memorable. He had a great tight band with him which was pretty amazing as two of the members were hired for the gig at VERY short notice (i.e.: just hours before the show). I think I will be investing in some of his music. You can check out his Bandcamp page HERE
On to the main draw. A fanfare of horns started. The crowd were somewhat bemused, not knowing what to make of it. One by one the band arrived on stage. Finally, Zoe appeared in a suit that by her own admission was too big for her. She’d made alterations (see ‘Stranger Care’ video) but it did look a little David Byrne a la Stop Making Sense. Okay, maybe not as oversized as that, but it did look big. That said, she nailed the look completely.
It was a storming set. Got underway with TENT album opener, ‘Push and Pull’ with fabulous renditions of every song from the album spread throughout the set. Personal favourites for me were ‘Even Though I’m Scared,’ ‘Happen,’ ‘When Living Came Easy,’ and beautiful versions of ‘Stranger Care’ and ‘I Only Ever Loved Yous’ with some lovely audience participation at the end. Zoe is SSSOOO talented. An incredible guitarist, an accomplished singer and such a funny and warm person to boot. Her banter always makes me giggle for all the right reasons. Both she and Hamish have this rapport with their audience that I adore. I love them both so much for that. They just both come across as very genuine people.
I honestly cannot wait to see Zoe again. I’m hoping by what she was saying last night that that might be sooner rather than later. Along with all the songs from TENT, she also performed some new songs which were already sounding fantastic. There is definitely more to come from Glasgow’s Zoe Graham. When you have the likes of Guy Garvey singing your praises then you’re doing something right. Zoe is an artist to watch, mark my words!
My only real regret about last was not being able to stay after the show to have a word with Zoe at the merch stall but we had to get back to Queen Street to ensure we caught the last train home. Hopefully there will be future opportunities.
