Last night Nicola and I juggled two gigs at the ABC. It was the first time either of us had been there and it's a pretty good venue. We started off in the ABC2, which is a really impressive wee room. It holds 350 and it's wider than it is long, so it makes for a quite intimate space.We were there to see The Wolf Parade who were the opening act. They were easily the best band I've seen since Arcade Fire. They played most of the stuff from Apologies to the Queen Mary opening up with It's a Curse and ending on a rocking version of I'll Believe in Anything. With two vocalists one of them on keyboards and a 'sound manipulator' they're not the average dirty rock band. Hopefully next year they'll be back with a tour of their own. Here is an interview with them. And here's some more live photographs of them from another show.
We then stayed downstairs to see a bit of Black Mountain. I thought they were all right, but I think Nicola appreciated them more than I did.
We then went upstairs to the 1250 capacity ABC main stage to see Teenage Fanclub. They ran through pretty much a greatest hits set, with I Need Direction, Hang On, Don't Look Back, Sparky's Dream, Ain't That Enough, Take the Long Way Round, Your Love is the Place Where I Come From, The Concept and It's All In My Mind among the highlights.
We were stood around the Glasgow Rock Royalty, or TFC's mates. Former drummer Brendan O'Hare, Stephen Pastel and Eugene Kelly.
It was a really enjoyable show, I guess the Fannies don't have to work too hard when they play Glasgow as they'll always be met by an enthusastic crowd. That's not to take away from an excellent set though.
I think this was the fourth time I've seen them, but the first time I've seen them in their own headlining show. I first saw them 15 years ago(!) when they supported The Soup Dragons (remember them?) at what was then known as The Mayfair on Sauchiehall Street. I later saw them supporting My Bloody Valentine at the Barrowland in 1991, where my mate Gary accosted Gerry Love on the stairs on the way out and told him to "Get rid of Norman man, he's holding youse back." The last time I saw them was I think at T in the Park in 1994.
Below are some more photographs that I snapped with my cameraphone. And here's a set of TFC photos from earlier this month.
2 comments:
You sure that was the Barrowland in 91? I saw them supporting My Bloody Valentine aorund that time but it was at The College of Building and Printing I'm sure. Still, I was pished.
It was definitely the Barrowland, as to whether it was 91 I'm not 100%, may have been '92, but it was late in the year and Loveless was released in Nov '91, so I guess it's possible they could have played both venues pre and post LP release.
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