A little bit of normality – accompanied by Mr A, I boarded the 525 to Glasgow, heading off for an evening of musical entertainment.

Originally, this show was to have been a Massive headline show in May 2020(?) That was cancelled and changed to a Massive support slot on a 30^th anniversary tour … and that was supposed to have happened in February 2021, according to the date on the tickets in my gig bag. In reality, three-quarters of Massive are still trapped in Australia due to Covid travel restrictions and a fresh act has taken their place on the tour as support. Guys, fingers crossed- we’ll get that headline show in 2022!

Got to love this post-Covid gig world!

So here we are at 14 October, finally heading to Glasgow to see The Quireboys on their 30^th Anniversary Tour, celebrating their debut album A Bit Of What You Fancy. The record was originally released on 29 January 1990 so it’s the 31 ½ anniversary now!  (I still have my original copy of the LP.)

I have to admit that it was good to be back in The Garage. I have a soft spot for this venue. It was also the last one I visited in early 2020 before the world shut down.

I also have to say it was almost as cold inside as it had been outside in the queue!

Support for the evening was Troy Redfern. I’d recently read an article in Classic Rock featuring him so was keen to hear him play live. He didn’t disappoint! Troy Redfern is one talented, intensely passionate musician. A man of mystery under his wide-brimmed hat. I’m a sucker for a guitarist who plays a resonator…what can I say? Troy was ably accompanied by Finn McAuley on drums and the petite Keira Kenworthy on bass. Their allotted 30-minute slot disappeared way too fast. A mere six songs ending with a spellbinding Voodoo Chile. Roll on 2022 when this guy returns to Glasgow with his headline show.

As the stage was being cleared and set up for the headliners, another “celebrity” was spotted in the midst of The Quireboys crew – Freddy Kreuger! I’m sure he’s a lovely guy but I really hope someone gets him the gloves to go with the stripey jumper and hat for Halloween!

Shortly before nine, The Quireboys took to the stage, opening their eighty-minute set with I Love This Dirty Town. Glasgow was certainly showing instant love for front man Spike. He is most definitely one of life’s characters. He had walked on stage holding his pint of beer aloft, looking as fabulously eccentric as ever with his trademark bandana/headscarf knotted behind his neck.

The bulk of the set, not surprisingly, was all the tracks from A Bit Of What You Fancy, not necessarily in the order that they appear in on the record.

With a Quireboys’ show you know what to expect – Spike being his flamboyant self with his scarves and beads and mic stand gyrations and always a pint to hand.

The Glasgow fans were lapping up his patter, although I suspect much to guitarist Guy Griffin’s relief, no one in the crowd listened too closely to Spike’s requests for a brandy from the bar. He had joked that their manager didn’t know about the bottle of whisky he’d downed in the afternoon or the trip across the street to the pub- fact or fiction? Who knows!

They might want to consider changing Spike’s pints for bottles of Grolsch. Twice “Freddy Krueger” had to dash on stage to rescue Paul Guerin from a guitar strap mishap due to the lack of a strap lock. (For the uninitiated – Grolsch bottle stop washers make good emergency strap locks.)

Highlights from the main body of the energetic set were Hey You, There She Goes Again and firm fan favourite, 7 O’clock. Over the years, there’s been more gravel added to that distinctive voice which adds even more sultry tones to songs like I Don’t Love You Anymore.

Spike’s the first to poke fun at himself. So what if he wasn’t word perfect on the lyrics?  The fans weren’t caring- they were keeping him right and loving every word of it!

The final two songs of the night probably summed up the show – This Is Rock n Roll and Sex Party.

This certainly was rock n roll… good fun, feelgood, party rock n roll  (without the sex party angle) and this post-Covid world needs more of it!

Now, someone pass that man a brandy, please. (Just don’t tell Guy Griffin or their manager)