Blackberry Smoke @ O2 Academy Glasgow 9th September 2024

Posted on September 15, 2024 by coralmccallum

With doors brought forward to 6pm, it was an earlier than usual train to Glasgow for Miss Rose Wine and I last Monday night. The weather Gods weren’t too happy about it either.

We made it to the O2 Academy just as they were opening the doors. Whew!

So, who had we rushed up to Glasgow to see?

The incredible Blackberry Smoke.

The rail Gods were in a better humour than the weather ones and we managed to grab a rail spot for the evening. Happy days!

There was only one support act for the evening, Bones Owens. Having read a recent article about him, I was keen to experience his live set. Based in Nashville, Bones Owens, accompanied by Sonny Remliger on drums and Doy Gardner on bass, delivered a solid opening set. Bones Owens is a larger than life, tattooed presence on stage and he treated the growing enthusiastic Scottish crowd to 45 minutes of heavy rock and roll with a strong blues influence. Unfamiliar as I am with his music its hard to pick out a standout track but Goin’ Back Where I Came From was one of them.

Goin Back Where I Came From – Bones Owens @ O2 Academy Glasgow 09/09/24 (youtube.com)

Look forward to seeing a headline show soon from these guys. (Hint)

Great start to proceedings.

This was my fifth Blackberry Smoke show and while I don’t want to dwell on the difficult journey that the band have had over the past couple of years, it would be wrong not to mention it. Their late drummer Brit Turner was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer (Glioblastoma) about two years ago, My heart broke for them when I heard this news as it was the same diagnosis my late husband received four years ago. I said my final farewell to him last autumn; Blackberry Smoke said farewell to Brit in the spring of this year.

Blackberry Smoke last played Glasgow in March 2023 and Brit was well enough to play that show. It was an emotional night with many fans not fully appreciative of the situation. I was….

As the band stepped out on stage at 8:30pm, you could feel the emotion in the air. The boys from Atlanta, Georgia were given a huge warm Scottish welcome by the capacity Glasgow crowd. They opened their two hour long set and the first show of the tour with Let Me Help You (Find the Door) only to find a few gremlins in the works with front man Charlie Starr’s guitar. Throughout the opening number, Charlie, ever the professional, kept the song going but he did look a little “lost/naked” without a guitar in his hands for a few minutes.

let Me Help You Find the door (set opener) – Blackberry Smoke @ O2 Academy Glasgow 09/09/24 (youtube.com)

The gremlins were finally beaten into submission during the second song of the night Good One Comin’ On, when the guitar tech resorted to a good old-fashioned guitar lead. Modern technology! Good One Comin’ On was merely a hint of the great set that was to follow.

The band’s 19 song set was a finely balance mix, drawing on their back catalogue and their recent album Be Right Here. Four tracks from the latest album made the cut.

With Blackberry Smoke you know you’re in for a good night every night. Their distinctive sound lives up to the almost cliched “too rock to be country; too country to be rock” slogan that adorns some of the tees from the merch stall but after just shy of 25 years on the road, these boys have truly found their niche.

Several of my personal favourites were given an outing over the course of the evening including Pretty Little Lies, Crimson Moon and Sleeping Dogs.

Pretty Little Lie – Blackberry Smoke @ O2 Academy Glasgow 09/09/24 (youtube.com)

Crimson Moon – Blackberry Smoke @ O2 Academy Glasgow 09/09/24 (youtube.com)

The most emotional moment of the night came in the latter half of the show. Having introduced the fans to Brother Paul Jackson on guitar, Brother Benji Shanks on guitar and mandolin, Brother Brandon Still on piano, Brother Kent Aberle on drums and Brother Richard Turner on bass, Charlie Starr declared that the next song was for Brother Brit Turner. The cheers were deafening, and the tears were flowing on and off stage as the boys played the beautiful Azalea, from the current album.

Azalea – Blackberry Smoke @ O2 Academy Glasgow 09/09/24 (youtube.com)

I can only imagine how difficult it is for them to perform night after night.

The main body of the set was rounded out a few songs later with an extended version of Ain’t Got The Blues.

After a few moments off stage Blackberry Smoke returned to the stage for the encore. Looking resplendent in his hat, Charlie and the boys opened their four-song encore with Old Scarecrow. Another one of my favourites made an appearance – the gorgeous One Horse Town. Love that song. The night was brought to a climax with Little Bit Crazy. Awesomeness!

What a show! Possibly the best one I’ve seen them play yet.

Hurry back to this “One Horse Town” soon, boys.

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Fools & Clowns by Mark Harrison

Posted on August 12, 2024 by coralmccallum

Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to review Mark Harrison’s work. His fame and his fan base have been growing exponentially with each album cycle so I was thrilled to receive a sneak preview of his latest album Fools & Clowns, which is set to be released on 30th August.

I’ve previously said that Mark’s music was my guilty pleasure. It’s not the genre that you might expect me to be listening to but to quote Classic Rock Magazine “Everybody should be talking about Mark Harrison!” They really should!

Mark Harrison is a breath of fresh air to songwriting! He is the ultimate lyrical storyteller.

To quote from the album’s press release –

“FOOLS & CLOWNS is a collection of brand-new and totally unique songs in a timeless style that would sit well right next to the classic artists of the golden era such as The Band and Little Feat. It’s music to sit and listen to and pore over, and it’s music to make you smile and get up and dance too. You won’t hear anything else quite like it. The extraordinary MARK HARRISON BAND has a unique sound and style that is very much their own genre, and incorporates elements of classic roots, rock, folk and blues. Each track on FOOLS & CLOWNS is an event in its own right, each with its own highly distinctive arrangement and sounds. The album features Mark on National,12-string and electric guitars and vocals, Charles Benfield (bass, harmonies, electric guitar, keyboards, mandolin) and Ben Welburn (drums and percussion), and guest Guy Bennett on lead guitar and keyboards. Superbly produced, mixed and mastered by Buzz Allan, FOOLS & CLOWNS is beautifully packaged, with superb artwork by Andy Hall of We Are Frank, whose artwork on all Mark’s previous albums is much admired.

FOOLS & CLOWNS covers all manner of topics not normally found in songs, including house rent parties, the modern workplace, episodes in the lives of the original blues artists, a comparison between the great inventions of the past like sewage systems and modern inventions like social media, and today’s charlatans in new industries extracting money from the hapless citizen. Mark’s songs together present a world view, upsides and downsides of the human condition, common experiences of trying to get by, and fun in the face of adversity. In short, the human spirit.”

Ok maybe that’s cheating a bit but it gets the facts out there from the get go.

Now to the new songs themselves. I’m not a musician so am not qualified to comment on the complexities of each new song. I can only comment as music loving fan.

 Each of the 13 new songs is as quirky and catchy as we’ve come to expect from Mark. Think of this record as 13 new 21st century contemporary tales as much as 13 new songs. My personal favourite as much for the title as anything else is The Great Stink.  I loved the sleepy easy feel to Road Ahead Closed. Album closer is Ricky and if you listen to the lyrics, I think we all know an aspiring star like “Ricky.” Well, who are we to quash anyone’s dreams. We’ve all seen someone in a small club venue play as if it were Wembley Stadium.

Another sonic masterpiece from Mark and co. Do yourself a favour and check this one out.

You can purchase the album and Mark’s other records at

www.markharrisonrootsmusic.com

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Anchor Lane @ King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut Glasgow 22 June 2024

Posted on July 16, 2024 by coralmccallum

A bit late to the review party….

One a Saturday evening in June, Boy Child and I boarded the train to Glasgow to head to a venue we hadn’t been to before.

Our destination was Glasgow’s legendary King Tut’s Wah-Wah Hut on St Vincent Street. We’ve been trying to get to this one for years and finally the planets aligned.

We arrived early so meandered around the area, pausing to mourn the late great ABC on Sauchiehall St (I really miss that venue) before returning to King Tut’s itself.

So, who were we there to see?

Glasgow’s finest, the awesome Anchor Lane!

And the icing on the cake- it was a sell out headline show for the boys!

The music gods were kind to us, and Boy Child secured a rail spot while I made the obligatory trip to the merch stall. Happy days!

There was only one support act for the night, a new band to us, Lo Rays who have recently collaborated with Anchor Lane boys on a track. (More about that later) Also hailing from Glasgow and fronted by Finnish songstress Laura Takula-, Lo Rays are an electronic/post-apocalyptic metal band. I have to admit it is the first time I’ve seen a VCR on stage plugged into an old school portable TV! Amid swirling smoke and subtle lighting, Lo Rays treated the enthusiastic crowd to a great 30-minute set. There are clearly In This Moment influences at play, but Laura is a brilliant quirky performer with a truly versatile style. Awesome start to the night.

Do yourself a favour and check out Lo Rays online.

Shortly after 9pm, amid more smoke and a dimly lit stage, Anchor Lane stepped out to open their 60-minute set with a blistering rendition of Choke. This was my fourth time seeing these guys and my second headline Anchor Lane show. Front man Conor Gaffney oozes energy and cheeky charm right from the off and it didn’t take long before the capacity crowd were nestled in the palm of his hand.

Choke – Anchor Lane (set opener) @ King Tuts Glasgow 22/06/24 (youtube.com)

It’s great to see these boys grow in confidence and develop their own inimitable style on stage to their growing loyal fanbase. Guitarist Laurence goes from strength to strength, regularly taking centre stage to showcase his skills while the engine room of the band, drummer Graeme Newbury, presides over proceedings at the back of the stage.

With only an hour at their disposal Anchor Lane fired through their set at a rapid rate of knots. It was clear for all to see that the guys were enjoying this hometown show as much as their fans.

To avoid disappointing those at the back of the room, Conor jumped off stage and played one number from the back. Expertly played, young sir.

Highlight songs for me were set opener Choke, Ministry complete with opening drum solo and Nitroglycerin.

Ministry – Anchor Lane @ King Tuts Glasgow 22/06/24 (youtube.com)

Nitroglycerin – Anchor Lane @ King Tuts Glasgow 22/06/24 (youtube.com)

Conor had teased the fans about a surprise for later in the set, but in reality, it was no great surprise when Laura and the bass player from Lo Rays joined Anchor Lane on stage for Sychophant, their recent collaboration track and the penultimate song of the night. Awesome stuff!

Sychophant – Anchor Lane & Lo Rays @ King Tuts Glasgow 22/06/24 (youtube.com)

Anchor Lane ended the night with Soul 2 Pour amid cries and please from the fans for more.

Short, sweet, sweaty and smoky! A killer headline show!

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The Cadillac Three @ the O2 Academy Glasgow on 8th May 2024

Posted on May 14, 2024 by coralmccallum

Last Wednesday evening, Boy Child and I boarded the train to Glasgow. The birds were singing. The sun was shining. The weather Gods were smiling on us. All was well with the world.

 We were heading for the city’s O2 Academy but who were we off to see?

Nashville’s finest, The Cadillac Three.

This was the third time I’d seen these guys live, and I was excited for this one.

Having queued in the early evening sun, the rail Gods also smiled on us. Sunshine and a rail spot! Maybe I should have bought a lottery ticket! Happy days….

With the venue slowly filling up the first of the two support acts took to the stage around 7:30pm. First up was Willy Cobb, who described his style as “country punk”. Words fail me as I try to describe Willy himself. We’d seen him outside the venue before the show. Everyone is entitled to express themselves with their own style, but the heavy eye make-up, sparkles and bib front dungarees was a new one on me. Somehow it kind of works… This guy’s quirky. Check out his latest song Cigarette Smell online and judge for yourselves. Willy delivered a solid opening set and won over some Scottish fans in the process. And as Willy himself would say “that’s all I have to say about that.”

Much to my relief, the second support act was also afforded only thirty minutes. The second act of the night was Stephen Wilson Jr. I feel he must be an acquired taste as a section of the crowd were loving it.  Me less so. Thumper Principle duly applied….

By 9:00pm the venue had filled up quite nicely, not a sell-out, but definitely a good crowd. It’s been just less than 2 years since The Cadillac Three played Glasgow and the Scottish fans were patiently waiting for more from these guys. With spotlights trained on the crowd, the intro tape played, and as the lights pulsed, The Cadillac Three took to the stage to a rapturous warm welcome as they powered into their set opener, the ever-popular Peace Love & Dixie. One of my favourites and a great start to their set.

Peace Love & Dixie (show opener) – The Cadillac Three @ O2 Academy Glasgow 08/05/24 (youtube.com)

Right from the off there was a different feel to these guys compared to previous tours. Everything was less stripped back.  Things felt more grunge/rock then before, aided also by the simple fact that frontman Jaren Johnston, long hair neatly trimmed, stepped out in a black leather jacket. (what happened to “Long Hair Don’t Care”?) Now, I’m not saying that there was anything wrong with this. Change is good and I was instantly liking this 2024 TC3 vintage.

The two-hour set was a balanced mix from the band’s back catalogue plus three tracks from their current album, The Years Go Fast. Double Wide Grave was the first of those tracks to get an outing. Love this one. It’s the perfect fusion of the band’s country fuzz sound with a harder rockier edge. Around me, the Scottish fans were loving it too.

Bury Me In My Boots has become one of their classic set stalwarts. What’s not to love about this one? The Glasgow choir were in fine voice as they sang along to this fan favourite.

Bury Me In My Boots – The Cadillac Three – O2 Academy Glasgow 08/05/24@o2academyglasgow459 (youtube.com)

As this band has evolved over the past thirteen years, so has their sound. Back in 2020, they released two albums, Country Fuzz and Tabasco and Sweet Tea. The first as its name suggests saw the addition of more fuzz- a bit like more cowbell but with fuzz – to their familiar country rock sound. The second album from 2020 added some funk into the mix. The end result when you add their latest album to the mix is this 2024 vintage…. and it works like a charm! Even the older, more familiar tracks have been given a 2024 refresh and they sound awesome!

Tennessee Mojo mid-set was a high point of the night. These guys truly have found their mojo and from the chemistry between them on-stage, they are thriving on it.

Another high point for me was the gorgeous Graffiti. Such an atmospheric song.

Graffiti – The Cadillac Three @ OC Academy Glasgow 08/05/24 (youtube.com)

It was followed a couple of songs later my another one of my personal favourites, Runnin’ Red Lights. No video of this one. I was lost in the song.

For me the strongest section of the set was the final five songs, purely because among them were more of my favourites.

Before introducing Hank & Jesus, Jaren playfully listed Scottish/Glasgow bands that he’d “invited” along who had declined to come to the show. They didn’t know what they were missing! I love the lyrics to Hank & Jesus. For me it’s a song you can visualise- I can just imagine the family that ties into that set up, can’t you? A kind of modern day Walton family.

Hank & Jesus – The Cadillac Three @ O2 Academy Glasgow 08/05/24 (youtube.com)

It was followed by another clear fan favourite American Slang from 2017’s Legacy album. Love it.

Before The Cadillac Three could begin their next number, the Glasgow crowd took control with their infamous chant of “Here we, Here we, Here we…” Well, you know the rest of the words.. These three boys from Nashville (Jaren Johnston songwriter extraordinaire, Kelby Ray on lap steel and Neil Mason on drums) jumped on it and enthusiastically joined in. Love it  when a band does that. White Lightning was the song that eventually followed. Another atmospheric number and another crowd pleaser. One of my personal favourites too.

White Lightning – The Cadillac Three @ O2 Academy Glasgow 08/05/24 (youtube.com)

There were only two songs left. Two songs that left the fans in no doubt about where The Cadillac Three’s roots run deep. The South and I’m Southern brought the night to a rowdy climax as curfew approached.

For one night we were all more than a little bit Southern.

Till next time, guys.

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Slash ft Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators @ the OVO Hydro Glasgow 3rd April 2024

Posted on April 6, 2024 by coralmccallum

On a rather dreich Wednesday afternoon I headed up the M8 unchaperoned. Yes. I know I had set off over four hours before the doors were due to open but there were AB family members to find and catch up with and to get a decent spot for the show was going to involve some serious queuing.

So who was I braving the elements to see this time? Slash ft Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators!

I’ll spare you the intervening hours and skip to doors open time at 6:30pm.

Thanks to some tag teaming by the various AB family members, we were all together, centre front at the rail. I was slightly behind two friends so technically not “on the rail” but it was close enough. Closer than I had expected to be. Happy days.

There was only one support act for the evening – the awesome Mammoth WVH. This was the fourth time I’d seen these guys in a support slot. Half an hour just isn’t enough! Fronted by the uber talented Wolfgang Van Halen (son of the late great Eddie Van Halen) these guys just keep getting better and better. Drummer Garrett Whitlock is an absolute beast behind that kit. Bassist Ronnie Ficaro is like the Duracell bunny bouncing while Wolfie quietly and skilfully does what he does best. He’s flanked by guitarists Jon Jourdan and Frank Sidoris who is pulling double duty on this tour. The chemistry is perfect. Highlights of the short six-song set for me were their set opener Another Celebration at the End of the World, the title track from the most recent album, Take a Bow and set closer, Don’t Back Down. Awesome stuff.

Take A Bow – Mammoth WVH @ OVO Hydro 03/04/24 (youtube.com)

The question on everyone’s lips is – when are we getting a UK headline tour, Wolfie?

Shortly before 8:45 the lights dimmed, and an almost tribal beat began before the sound morphed into something that sounded like the creepy intro for a monster movie. Two minutes later the lights pulsed and amid the screams and cheers, Slash, Myles and the Conspirators appeared in the shadows before exploding into the River is Rising from the latest album 4. Right from the off, this was a far slicker and sharper unit that had last played Glasgow in 2019.

River Is Rising – Slash ft Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators – show opener @ Hydro Glasgow 03/04/24 (youtube.com)

There was so much energy on display and more importantly they all looked to be enjoying themselves. Happy band leads to an awesome show and happy fans – musical maths.

Bassist Todd Dammit Kerns was dashing from one side of the stage to the other while Slash calmly got down to business at his side of the stage. Guitarist Frank Sidoris is the ultimate Mr Cool, although he did eventually shed the leather jacket later in the show, and he too quietly got on with his second role for the evening while drummer Brent Fitz kept the engine running from behind his kit. As for Myles Kennedy’s vocals….well we all know I may be slightly biased here but he was sounding oh so sweet.

Driving Rain from the Living the Dream album followed then came one of my personal favourites, Halo from Apocalyptic Love to round out the opening trio.

It certainly was time to get that Halo dirty with some! An SMKC show is good old-fashioned hard rock with just a smidgeon of sleaze. You just can’t beat it!

Back from Cali was another highlight early in the set for me. Love that song. (Sadly my camera malfunctioned and the video didn’t turn out)

Whatever Gets You By another track from 4 followed. This one showcased Myles’ percussion skills and his infamous triangle solo. He nailed it! Brilliant.

Todd Dammit Kerns stepped up to complete the vocal chores on the first of three songs he’d sing on the setlist. His cover of Lenny Kravitz’s Always On The Run was awesome. A larger-than-life performer, he has pipes to give Myles a run for his money.

Avalon from World On Fire followed.

Avalon – Slash ft Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators @ Hydro Glasgow 03/04/24 (youtube.com)

Next up, offering more than a hint of Eastern promise was Spirit Love, another track from 4. Love the dark moodiness of this one.

The first song Myles and Slash every wrote together came a couple of songs deeper into the 22-song set – Starlight. Another highlight moment for me. This one never grows old and is simply beautiful.

Wicked Stone offered Slash his longest guitar solo opportunity of the night. My main criticism of these guys the last time I saw them in 2019 was that the set had felt top heavy with extended solos. This 2024 edition has seen the balance restored. There is no denying the talent that Slash has at his fingertips. He finished this solo on five strings. Occupational hazard that didn’t faze him in the slightest.

This show was flying by way too fast.

Fill My World was one of two songs that I had been really looking forward to hearing live for the first time. It is definitely a firm favourite with all the animal lovers in the band and in the crowd. (The lyrics are written from Myles’ dog Mozart’s perspective of being left home alone and scared during a thunderstorm.) Instead of lighting the place up with the torches from the crowd’s phones, Myles asked everyone to show them their fur baby photos. Too cute. This song surpassed expectations. There’s so much emotion in the lyrics. Loved it.

Fill My World – Slash ft Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators @ Hydro Glasgow 03/04/24 (youtube.com)

How to follow that? You follow it with Tood’s third song of the night, Dr Alibi. Always a fun song and it lends itself perfectly to Todd’s larger than life personality.

Dr Alibi – Slash ft Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators @ Hydro Glasgow 03/04/24 (youtube.com)

You’re a Lie and World on Fire rounded out the main body of the set.

I waited with bated breath for the encore I’d sneaked a peek at the previous setlists from this tour and knew what was coming next.

With Slash on lap steel and Brent Fitz on piano, Rocket Man, the Elton John classic, opened the two-song encore. I adore this song and this arrangement of it. Myles’ vocals on this one are something special to behold, What a note he hit and held! It truly was a magical moment that will live with me for a long time. (Sadly, my camera malfunctioned again and failed to record the video – c’est la vie).

Anastasia had the honour of being the final song of the night. The crowd went wild as Slash played the opening notes of the classic intro.

For those who have been following this tour, Slash always jumps from the drum riser at the end of this one and he’s been encouraging Myles to do likewise. Myles did jump in Birmingham a few nights before. Tonight, though they went one better. At the end of Slash’s blistering solo, they both jumped in unison.  It really is a delight to see these guys having such fun on stage.

Slash ft Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators (live) – Anastasia – Hydro, Glasgow 2024 (youtube.com)

Credit to the owner Iain C via You Tube

All good things have to come to an end. Picks were thrown. Drumsticks were tossed into the crowd. Setlists were gifted to the lucky few. Everyone else left with musical memories that will last a long while in their hearts.

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The Gaslight Anthem @ O2 Academy Glasgow 18th March 2024

Posted on March 24, 2024 by coralmccallum

On Monday evening, accompanied by Boy Child, I boarded the train to Glasgow. Rain clouds were gathering. By the time we got off the train, it was a damp trudge to the O2 Academy.

So, who were we braving the elements to see?

New jersey’s finest, The Gaslight Anthem.

The music Gods were shining on us even if the weather Gods weren’t and Boy Child snagged a great rail spot for the evening. Happy days!

There was only one support act for the evening – Emily Wolfe. We clearly had her #1 fan to our left, a female who screamed at deafening levels for every song throughout the 45-minute set. (Thank God for ear plugs!) I’m struggling to describe Emily Wolfe’s set. I had never listened to her before although I was aware of her as a guitarist. Emily Wolfe is a fantastic musician and an accomplished songwriter offering up a mix of grunge and blues influenced songs. She lost me for a bit two or three songs into her set but towards the end there were several heavier, faster paced songs. Would I go and see her again? Jury is still out there but Emily Wolfe did a solid job of warming up the sell-out crowd in time for the headliners taking to the stage.

It’s been almost six years since The Gaslight Anthem last played Glasgow (The ’59 Sound 10th anniversary show at Barrowlands on 24 July 2018.) so it’s no surprise that tonight’s show is a sell-out. We’ve waited patiently for this one for a long time….

At 9:15, the lights dim as the intro tape plays (Kiss Me Deadly by Lita Ford) then out of the shadows amidst screams and cheers, emerged The Gaslight Anthem.

They kicked off their 22-song set with I Live in The Room Above Her from their current album History Books.

I Live in The Room Above Her (show opener) – The Gaslight Anthem @ O2 Academy Glasgow180324 (youtube.com)

Before us was a different Gaslight Anthem. Gone was frontman Brian Fallon’s Fender guitar. In its place, he was armed with a Gibson Explorer. To his right, guitarist Alex Rosamilia was armed with a Flying V. Gone too was Brian’s clean cut, short haired look. In its place was a more grungy, long haired, bearded look. (Not too sure of that to be honest)

While the official photographers clamoured for space in the pit, The Gaslight Anthem rounded out their opening trio with 1000 Years and 1930. The Scottish fans were hanging on their every note.

Next up was one of my favourites, Biloxi Parish from The Gaslight Anthem’s 2012 album Handwritten. There was an extra level of hoarseness/huskiness to Brian’s vocals, but he still sounded oh so sweet.

Biloxi Parish – The Gaslight Anthem @ O2 Academy Glasgow 180324 (youtube.com)

Perhaps its their style but something that always puzzles me about this band live is the lack of onstage interaction with each other. This was the third time I’ve seen them live and it has been noticeable on each occasion. Bassist Alex Levine rarely strays from his side of the stage all night, leaving half the crowd with barely a glimpse of him. The same can be said for Alex Rosamilia who was in front of us. Have the lines been drawn on the stage? This is my dance space and that’s yours….

The set was a balanced mix of favourites from the entire back catalogue plus four tracks from the current album History Books.

Another highlight song for me was the energetic Boomboxes and Dictionaries. Love the punk energy of this one but again it did sound as if Brian was struggling a bit with those vocals.

Boomboxes and Dictionaries – The Gaslight Anthem @ O2 Academy Glasgow 180324 (youtube.com)

The band were then joined onstage by Emily Wolfe who was asked “You wanna play a song?” In fact, she joined the boys for two songs. The first was the gorgeous The Weatherman from History Books then the awesome Blue Jeans and White T-shirts. Ms Wolfe fitted nicely right in.

The Weatherman – The Gaslight Anthem with Emily Wolfe @ O2 Academy Glasgow 180324 (youtube.com)

Oh, this show was flying in far too fast…

Brian had already informed the capacity crowd that they would play right up to the 11pm curfew and when they left the stage that would be it. No encores. And play they did!

Several of my personal favourites made it into the latter part of the show including Mulholland Drive, 45, The ’59 Sound (love love love that one) and The Backseat.

As the clock ticked closer to 11pm, The Gaslight Anthem closed out their set with We’re Getting a Divorce, You Keep the Diner from 2007’s Sink or Swim album. A suitably rowdy crowd-pleasing end.

There will be no divorces from these loyal fans, guys, so please don’t leave it another six years before you return.

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Dirty Honey at Oran Mor, Glasgow 7th February 2024

Posted on February 11, 2024 by coralmccallum

Allowing plenty of time for roadworks and rush hour traffic, I headed up the M8 towards Glasgow on Wednesday. First stop, apart from traffic jams, was Shields Rd then a quick trip on the subway out to Hillhead, before a short chilly walk to the venue for the evening, Oran Mor.

The weather Gods were being semi-kind – it was dry, but it was bitterly cold. Having met Mr D at the venue, we formed a disorderly queue with a friend of his down at the basement door into the venue. No idea why but the rest of the queue stayed up at pavement level….one of life’s mysteries.

Doors were late as everything was running behind schedule. One bonus though was that we got to hear the bands sound checking from outside. It was almost 7:30 before the doors finally opened.

So, who was I freezing to death to see? The incredible Dirty Honey.

The perfect rail spot secured (thanks to Mr D) there wasn’t long to wait before the opening band took to the very crowded stage.

There was only one support act for the evening and for the second time Danko band from Falkirk had the honour of getting things going. These boys had been the support band in January 2023 when Dirty Honey last played in Glasgow at SWG3. The small stage was cluttered with so much gear that there was precious little room for the Danko band. The lack of space and headroom curtailed the Pete Townshend style moves of the band’s bass player somewhat.

Having told the growing audience that they were from Falkirk, the rowdy drunks behind me starting shouting “For the wheel” and “For the Kelpies” whenever there was gap in and between songs. That joke very quickly wore thin and certainly detracted from my enjoyment of Danko band’s set. From the shout from the back “to be quiet” about the Kelpies and the wheel, I perhaps wasn’t the only one feeling this way.

Did they set the world on fire with their half-hour set? Probably not. Did they warm, up the crowd for Dirty Honey? Yes, I guess they did.

I’m sure “the wheel” and “the Kelpies” appreciated the adoration too.

At 8:45 with timings back on track, Dirty Honey stepped out on stage to kick off their UK tour and their set with the title track from their recent album Can’t Find The Brakes.

Front man Marc LaBelle is super skilful at working a crowd. Wearing a sheepskin coat (Scottish temperatures in February are a far cry from their hometown of LA) and his trademark hat and shades, he had the capacity crowd in the palm of his hand from the very first note.

The superb California Dreamin’ followed and was definitely one of many high points in the band’s sixteen song set.

This was the third time I’d been fortunate enough to see Dirty Honey in an intimate venue. (Oran Mor’s capacity is 550). The chemistry on stage between Marc LaBelle, bassist Justin Smollian, guitarist John Notto and drummer Jaydon Bean is oh so sweet.

Dirty Honey are a finely tuned machine.

Scars, from their first record, was another highpoint of the set for me. An extended intro with a hint of Eastern promise saw the stage flanked either side by Justin Smollian and John “Fuckin” Notto before Marc LaBelle stepped up front and centre. The sheepskin coat had been cast aside a couple of songs earlier, freeing Marc up to move more fluidly around the stage.

Scars – Dirty Honey @ Oran Mor Glasgow 07/02/24 (youtube.com)

Tied Up is always a firm fan favourite. The Scottish fans didn’t need much encouragement to sing their hearts out on the chorus to this one.

Next came another of my personal favourites, Coming Home from Can’t Find The Brakes. Love this one! It was real treat to hear it played live. It was somewhat marred by the eejits behind shouting over Marc’s heartfelt words about the song and the intro and first verse as they tried and failed to get John Notto’s attention. Coming Home is a beautiful song and was sung straight from the heart. This one is just a little bit special.

Coming Home – Dirty Honey @ Oran Mor Glasgow 07/02/24 (youtube.com)

This gig was flying by way too fast.

Dirty Honey played two cover songs during their eighty-minute set. With an inspired Southern/country vibe (think Duelling Banjos), the Scottish fans were left spellbound by the boys’ rendition of Honky Tonk Woman. Each member of the band is oozing talent but John Notto’s playing on this one blew me away. Stunning stuff.

A few songs later, Dirty Honey delivered a spellbinding cover of Prince’s Lets Go Crazy. They truly owned this one before moving swiftly into another fan favourite The Wire.

The Wire – Dirty Honey @ Oran Mor Glasgow 07/02/24 (youtube.com)

The boys from LA rounded out the main body of their set with When I’m Gone. The capacity crowd, by now slightly hoarse and more than a little out of tune (blame the beer), sang along enthusiastically.

The end was nigh… but Glasgow didn’t disappoint. The small gap between the boys’ departure from the stage and their return for their two-song encore was ably filled with by the fans chanting “Here we, here we, here we fucking go” If only Dirty Honey had played along and joined in…next time perhaps.

Dirty Honey returned to the stage to a rowdy welcome and powered straight into Won’t Take Me Alive. Cue more passionate out of tune, crowd singing.

Won’t Take Me Alive – Dirty Honey @ Oran Mor Glasgow 07/02/24 (youtube.com)

The final song of the night began with the band introductions and solos. First up was the funky bass solo from Justin, this was followed by Jaydon’s blistering drum solo (love me a good drum solo) then finally John Notto held everyone spellbound while he played a mind-blowing bluesy solo. Oh, that was good for the soul, sir. Solos and introductions complete, Dirty Honey brought proceedings to a climax with another of my favourites, Rolling 7’s. Safe to say Dirty Honey blew the roof off the place.

Rolling 7s – Dirty Honey @ Oran Mor Glasgow 07/02/24 (youtube.com)

What a show!

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Florence Black @ Classic Grand, Glasgow 1st February 2024

Posted on February 6, 2024 by coralmccallum

Finally, the day had dawned- my first gig of 2024! And I was flying solo for this one!

Having travelled by train into Glasgow, I made my way down Union St towards the venue. Not only was this the first outing of the year but it was the first trip to this particular venue for me. Where was I headed?  Classic Grand.

When I arrived about 6:20pm there were already a handful of folk forming a queue. About twenty minutes later three of my “AB Family” joined the queue slightly further down the line. We exchanged a few words when they arrived, and I agreed to snag a spot for us for the evening as I was nearer the head of the line. Happy days.

Oh…and who were we queuing to see? Wales’s finest trio, Florence Black.

The stairs up to the main room in Classic Grand should come with a health warning! Damn there’s a lot of them! Having caught my breath, I snagged a rail spot for us slightly left of centre and waited for my AB Family to catch up.

There were three bands on the bill for the evening.

First out were Glasgow band, Eld Varg. These guys delivered a solid opening set of “Viking” metal. To my mind it was more “storyteller” metal (think Iron Maiden’s lengthy epic songs) but it was really engaging. A late addition to the bill, they proved a popular choice and swiftly had the growing crowd onside. Having commented that he needs to write shorter songs, front man Ollie announced that Wolfpack would be their fifth and final song for the night. I suspect it won’t be long before Eld Varg have a growing wolfpack following. Great start to the evening. Check them out online.

James and the Cold Gun were the second support act but their more punk, Ramones- sue style wasn’t for me. Thumper Principle duly applied for the first time in 2024.

And moving swiftly on…

Shortly before 9:00pm, the lights dimmed, the LED lit backdrop flashed and pulsed then Florence Black took to the stage, opening their set with the title track from their new album, Bed of Nails. Awesome choice of opening song.

Bed of Nails – Florence Black @ Classic Grand Glasgow 01/02/24 (youtube.com)

These boys from Merthyr Tydfil set the bar high right from the get go.

This was the third time I’d seen Florence Black, and they just keep getting better and better…and louder and louder.

The sell out Glasgow show was the first show of their current UK tour and they pulled out all the stops. With the tour kicking off on the eve of the launch of their new album, Florence Black appeared to have taken a bit of a gamble with the set. Only two tracks from bed of Nails failed to make it onto the 18-song set. However the audience were happily lapping up the new music, enthusiastically embracing the new tunes.

One stand-out early in the set was Solid 9, a thunderous powerful offering.

Solid 9 – Florence Black @ Classic Grand Glasgow 01/02/24 (youtube.com)

These three guys are about as tight a unit as you can hope to see on stage, and everyone pulls their weight. Drummer Perry Davies adds his pipes to support front man Tristan Thomas’ vocals with bassist Jordan Evans also tackling his fair share of backing vocals. Not an ounce of talent is wasted.

Mid-set there was a short interlude, showcasing the fancy, almost psychedelic lighting before the boys were back out to deliver a storming rendition of Black Cat.

Black Cat – Florence Black @ Classic Grand Glasgow 01/02/24 (youtube.com)

This was followed by what is rapidly becoming my favourite track from Bed of Nails, The Forest. There was an air of Fleetwood Mac to the acoustic intro to this song. Tristan’s vocals on this one in particular were oh so sweet. Loved it.

There was one cover song on the setlist – Budgie’s Breadfan. Can’t say I’m a fan of that song but the capacity crowd loved it.

Zulu, one of my favourites, had the honour of rounding out the main body of the set. This was the song that introduced me to this band.

Zulu – Florence Black @ Classic Grand Glasgow 01/02/24 (youtube.com)

With the curfew looming, there was time for just one song in their encore and there could only be one choice. The honour of bringing the night to a close fell to the awesomely beautiful Sun and Moon. Love this song.

Sun & Moon – Florence Black @ Classic Grand Glasgow 01/02/24 (youtube.com)

If I had one small wish to have improved on this great night of music, it would have been “less smoke.” I’m hoping it was first night over exuberance that led to the billowing, choking clouds throughout the set. Despite the smoggy cloud inversion lingering over the room, five hundred fifty fans left with smiles on their faces, and most will already be counting the days until these guys return to town.

All in all, a great way to start 2024’s gig season.

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2023 -the musical highlights

Posted on December 18, 2023 by coralmccallum

It’s reached that time of year again….

When I checked back, I made it to 15 shows this year and missed 3 because the real world had to take priority.

It all started back in January with Dirty Honey at SWG3 and ended at the O2 Academy with Corey Taylor.

So many musical memories created this year….

For me, things all kick off again on 1st Feb 2024 with Florence Black. I’ve seven gigs in the diary so far for 2024 and time will tell regarding how many more get added.

Have a fabulous Christmas and may your 2024 rock! \m/

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Corey Taylor @ O2 Academy Glasgow 12th November 2023

Posted on November 13, 2023 by coralmccallum

Last gig of the year….

On a dreich Sunday night, chauffeured by Boy Child, I headed up the M8 towards Glasgow. Thanks to the LEZ, early “last” trains and subway, we parked at Shields Road park and ride and walked the last mile to the O2 Academy.

It was raining (thanks for that Weather Gods) and it was a tad on the chilly side. Well, it is November in Scotland I suppose.

So, who were we braving the elements to see?

Corey “Mother Fuckin’” Taylor, that’s who!

By the time the doors opened at 7pm, we were soaked and chittering.

There had been two separate VIP parties, so we knew there was zero chance of a rail spot for the night. That said, Boy Child snagged a great spot about four rows off the rail.

There was only one support act for the evening- Oxymorrons from New York. This was a new band to me and initially I wasn’t too sure of their hybrid rap/hip hop/ rock delivery but within a song or two they had won me over. With brothers Demi (Deee) and Kamy (KI) sharing the vocal chores, this four-piece crammed 12 songs into their 45-minute slot. The chemistry on stage between the two brothers and vocalist/bassist/guitarist Jake Paulino was great and the crowd fed from this energy.

Both Boy Child and I commented after their set that we’d love to see Oxymorrons out with Skindred. (Benji Webbe, that’s hint!)

Not my usual genre of choice but it works. Check out their new album Melanin Punks and judge for yourself.

Shortly after 9pm the houselights dimmed and The Box, the opening track from CMF2 rang out over the sellout crowd before the band took to the stage to open their 90-minute set with Post Traumatic Blues. The energy levels in the room were through the roof from the off.

Stone Sour’s Tumult followed then it was back to CMFT, Corey’s debut solo album for Black Eyes Blue

Corey Taylor (live) – Black Eyes Blue – 02 Academy, Glasgow 2023 – YouTube

(credits to the owner Iain C via You Tube)

With such a varied and extensive back catalogue to choose from, pulling together a 15-song set that was going to please all of the fans must have been a bit of a nightmare.

Mid-set the Slipknot fans in the room got to hear their first favourite. After a playful introduction that saw Corey thank the support act and then his bandmates – Christan Martucci and Zach Throne on guitar, Dustin Robert on drums and Eliot “Two Fingers” Lorango on bass- they powered into Before I Forget. Great solo from Zach Throne to kick it all off.

Corey Taylor (live) – Before I Forget (Slipknot cover) – O2 Academy, Glasgow 2023 – YouTube

(credits to the owner Iain C via You Tube)

Sad but true, one of the songs I had been excited to hear came next. One fan, off to my right, was ready and waiting in their “Patrick” costume. Yes, you’ve guessed it. The SpongeBob SquarePants theme came next, and the Scottish fans sang their hearts out. Metal fans are all big kids at heart but don’t tell anyone I told you.

Corey Taylor (live) – Spongebob SquarePants Theme (cover) – O2 Academy, Glasgow 2023 – YouTube

(credits to the owner Iain C via You Tube)

How to follow that? With Slipknot’s Snuff, one of the few Slipknot songs that I adore. Stunning performance.

This gig was going in far too fast. Up on stage, it was clear that the band were having as much fun as the fans. Corey commented that it wasn’t “the Barrowlands” but the atmosphere in the Academy was pretty damn close. About 5 years ago, Corey Taylor had told chat show host Larry King that Glasgow was his favourite city out with the USA to play and it showed.

The last song from current album CMF2 to make the set was the beautiful, dark and deeply emotional Midnight. Love this song but sadly my enjoyment of it was spoiled by two very loud, very drunk females who barged in-between Boy Child and I causing mayhem. (I honestly cannot understand why some folk only go to gigs to get shitfaced!)

My favourite Stone Sour song, Through The Glass, rounded off the main body of the set. Spine-tinglingly good.

Corey Taylor (live) – Through Glass (Stone Sour cover) – O2 Academy, Glasgow 2023 – YouTube

(credits to the owner Iain C via You Tube)

After a brief moment or two off stage (where a drunken brawl broke out in front of where we were standing – see previous comments regarding alcohol consumption and ability to handle it) Corey and the boys returned to the stage for a 2-song encore. Slipknot’s Duality lit up the room, but the second and final song of the night fell a bit short of the mark for me. Judging by the dip in the energy I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. As he introduced it, Corey explained that they had opted to learn a cover version specifically for the UK tour. They ended the night with Black Sabbath’s Fairies Wear Boots…

Leaving that song aside, it had been an awesome show and a fitting gig to end my 2023 gig schedule on.

Bring on 2024!

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