Accompanied by Miss Rose Wine and Mr A, I boarded the 525 to Glasgow on Friday evening.
This particular gig had been a long time coming!
So, who were we heading off to see? Nashville’s The Cadillac Three!
It had been five long years since TC3 last played a headline show in Glasgow!
The weather gods were obviously less than happy about this fact. We were only few hundred yards from Glasgow’s Central Station when the heavens opened! C’est la vie.
Rather damp around the edges, we joined the growing queue, then after a bit of a hiccup with the scanner not liking our tickets, we were in and had secured a rail spot for the evening. Oh, happy days!
There was only one support act for the evening – Lindsay Ell, a Canadian country singer/songwriter and accomplished guitarist. This talented young lady was a new name on me. She swiftly had the Glasgow crowd eating out of the palm of her hand. She was sweet. She was charming. She commented on how lovely it was to see familiar faces along the rail. This is where I feel I should apologise as I failed to catch the names of most of the songs Lindsay performed. One highlight moment of her all too short set was Just A Girl/Bohemian Rhapsody. The Scottish rock choir were in fine voice on that one. Lindsay also treated us to an extended guitar solo – wow! Skilful physically and musically. She was clearly having fun on stage and the growing crowd fed on this setting things up perfectly for the headliners.
Check out Lindsay’s latest album Right On Time…you can thank me later.
At 9.15pm amid thunderous cheers, the lights dimmed, the intro tape played then without further ado TC3 took to the stage opening the show with Hard Out Here For A Country Boy from their Country Fuzz record. This was the opening show of their Hillbilly Hypnotized UK Tour so perhaps it was hard for them (jet lag) but the Glasgow crowd were making it easy. Glasgow loves these three boys from Nashville.
The twenty-one-song set was a great balance of old favourites plus songs from the two records that have been released since their last visit – Country Fuzz and Tabasco & Sweet Tea.
Five songs in, having shed his leather jacket, Jaren Johnston introduced the first of my favourites – Peace Love & Dixie. The Glasgow fans were in fine voice as they shook their hips like a hip-hip-hippy. Awesome!
Peace Love & Dixie – The Cadillac Three @ O2 Academy Glasgow 26/08/22 – YouTube
A few songs later, Jaren explained the background to his wardrobe choice for the evening, introduced us all to the band then eased into another fan favourite, Bury Me In My Boots.
Bury Me In My Boots – The Cadillac Three @ O2 Academy Glasgow 26/08/22 – YouTube
Conscious that they hadn’t been in town since the release of Tabasco & Sweet Tea, TC3 played three in a row from it – Head Over Wheels, Sweet Southern Spirit and title track Tabasco & Sweet Tea. For these songs, Kelby Ray stepped out from behind his lap steel to step forward on bass duties. Well played, young sir.
I’ll be honest here, that last album wasn’t my favourite TC3 record and it may have been my imagination but the energy seemed to take a dip as the boys played these three songs.
Energy levels soon soared to their previous level and beyond as Jaren dedicated the next song I’m Southern to his dad. I think for the evening, everyone in the O2 Academy was Southern. The fans were in fine voice for this one.
I’m Southern – The Cadillac Three @ O2 Academy Glasgow 26/08/22 – YouTube
As TC3 moved into the latter part of their set, we were treated to Hank & Jesus (another of my favourites), American Slang then Jaren dedicated the beautiful Take Me To The Bottom to his wife Miranda.
The penultimate song of the night was another of my personal favourites, White Lightning. Love love love this one.
TC3 finished off their epic set (no encore here tonight) with The South… there really isn’t any other way to end a TC3 show.
Glasgow had certainly found its Tennessee Mojo in the company of TC3. Hurry back, boys. We miss you already.
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