Mogwai and Celtic Connections at various venues in Glasgow.
The Tinnitus Diaries pt. 4
In Scotland, on the 25th of January each year, we celebrate our national poet, Robert Burns, and as I sit here in Airdrie to write this, a bottle of Irn-Bru beside me, it seems appropriate to begin this newsletter with the famous line from To a Mouse. The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men gang aft agley. I ran out of time for this month's return to the Photos, mostly essays. and despite having my topic and an outline written, there is no such uncertainty as a sure thing, as Burns also said.
Being home in Scotland, one never allows quite enough family time, and with one niece's desire to take me to the women's football (Partick Thistle vs. Dundee United) and the others' 5th birthday party at the weekend, writing took a back seat. I'll return with Photos, mostly this time next month, and I'm excited for you to read my thoughts on intentionality versus laziness in street photography, a subject raised during a meeting with the delightful Neil Scott, his wife Laura, and other Substackers, Dan and Mike. More on that in February.
I travelled to Scotland this week to cover the release of Mogwai's 11th studio album, The Bad Fire, which was launched to the world with an outstore show at Glasgow University's Queen Margaret Union (QMU) promoted by local record store, Monorail. As luck would have it, Glasgow's international music festival, Celtic Connections, is on at the same time, so while I'm here I've covered Bernard Butler at Oran Mór, and Sacred Paws at Drygate Brewers, before tonight's BMX Bandits show at Saint Luke’s.
So, in place of Photos, mostly, this week, I bring you a bumper bonus Tinnitus Diaries.
Bernard Butler at Oran Mór
My trip to Scotland began with a delayed flight through Amsterdam being rebooked through Frankfurt, and an extra 2 hours added to my journey. With Bernard Butler that very evening, I was sure to book early in the day so I’d have plenty of time for mishaps and to get home for dinner and then back out for the show.
Arriving in Oran Mór, I found, to my selfish dismay, that the show was seated. I’ve grown more shy as I get older, and despite it being my job, I get anxious about being a nuisance to the audience. Pre-show, I often joke around with them that they paid for the show, and I got in for free, so if I’m in their way, just let me know. Thankfully, the front row was very kind and let me nip around during the 1st 3.
Before Bernard, there was some acoustic folk balladeering from Kent songwriter, Yoshika Colwell. A beautiful song in tribute to one grandmother was followed by another for her other, the gentle guitar a serene accompaniment to the celebrated Glasgow venue. I haven’t had time to listen again to Colwell’s records on Bandcamp but certainly will when I get back to Warsaw.
When not joined on stage by Caimin Gilmore on double bass, Bernard Butler performed solo with his acoustic Gibson, his Gretsch, and his iconic 355. An early guitar hero of mine, Bernard’s debut solo album, and its associated guitar tab book taught me new ways to play the instrument. A few years ago, the debut, People Move On was reissued, and remixed with new vocal takes. These recordings highlight the loose, relaxed presence within his later, more confident vocal style punctuated by rhythmic freedom unheard in earlier recordings. Bernard brings that same style to his latest solo album, Good Grief, and to tonight’s show.
My memories of Butler’s live shows in the early 2000s weren’t fond. I adored him but on both occasions I saw him in Edinburgh at the Liquid Rooms and the Venue respectively, he was surly to the audience and didn’t seem to enjoy himself at all. I remember to this day leaving the Venue feeling I’d somehow disappointed him. A lot of time has passed, life has moved on, and tonight Bernard is affable, talkative and playful on stage, telling stories, ruefully laughing at the odd mistake, and generally being the Bernard Butler I’d hoped for back in the day. In short, it was wonderful. Hearing songs like Stay, Not Alone, and Autograph, alongside songs like Deep Emotions and Clean, in this new lilting style was delightful.
Sacred Paws at Drygate Brewers
Former Scottish Album of the Year winners, Sacred Paws were supposed to follow the night after Mogwai's album launch. Storm Eowyn had other plans. Last Thursday, while standing in the shower preparing to go out, my phone erupted in a way that suggested Putin had finally pushed the button. Turns out, no. It was instead a literal climate emergency: a rare Red weather warning for the next day. Central Scotland literally shut down. Shops, schools, and public transport, all off. Unsurprisingly the Mogwai show was postponed. As my brother's message was being typed into Apple's Messages, I knew he would tell me it had been rescheduled after I was to be back in Warsaw. it was of some surprise that it was postponed only until Sunday, and I'd still be in town. Phew. And so Sacred Paws were next.
The show was opened by Birdvox, a folk-fusion group, at least some of whom hail from Shetland. It’s hard to describe Birdvox if one hasn’t heard them but there are electronic elements mixed with folk blended with more alternative leanings. The band all took to the stage wearing matching black-and-white overalls? Onesies? I’m not too sure what you’d call it. Nevertheless, they looked the part. The music was ethereal at times, pulsing at others. They invited Ray Aggs from Sacred Paws up for a song, and they threw in a Kate Bush cover. They were bloody great.
Sacred Paws hadn’t rehearsed. Ray had the flu. It became the running gag of the onstage banter throughout. Rusty? A little. Brilliant? Absolutely. The interplay between Eilidh’s runaway-train drumming, Ray’s Afro-inspired guitar hooks, and the duo’s sugary-sweet vocal harmonies were exactly what the Drygate audience needed after the previous day’s storm. Sacred Paws are a band that I find it impossible to listen to without smiling. I presume I looked ridiculous. Wonderful.
Mogwai at the QMU
The anticipation for Mogwai’s superlative new record has slowly grown over the last couple of months, with three single releases, Stuart’s podcast appearances, and my photo accreditation for the album tour shows beginning with the launch at the QMU. I was excited to travel to the show with my friend Iain, the bass player of my 1st band, Troika. Iain introduced me to Mogwai’s music back in the day, so it was lovely to experience it together. Waiting for the show to start, my brother appeared with his friend Stewart, and our post-rock fellowship was complete.
Post-rock shows are often challenging for photography. They are generally underlit and the 1st time I photographed Mogwai, I did it on Tri-X. The photos leave a lot to be desired. Instead of the standard 3 songs, no flash, the order of the evening is 1st 10. The practical upshot of this is that I began the set loosely wandering the pit making photos, while 8 minutes later I was zipping around like my arse was on fire - something my brother found highly amusing.
I learned later that the band were pretty nervous, it being the 1st time they’d played live together for 18 months or so. Nevertheless, they were incredible. The songs from The Bad Fire are immediate and vital. I am a big fan of their UK number 1 album, As The Love Continues, and it may be the recency bias I’m prone to, but The Bad Fire is something else entirely. Hearing these songs played live, particularly Hi Chaos and Lion Rumpus, the latter with Stuart’s dumb, joyful guitar solo improvised on the night, was euphoric.
The encore featured an array of emotions for our little party for a variety of reasons, and the band ending with Christmas Steps topped off a remarkable night. Leaving the venue, I stopped off at the merch stall to pick up the album and despite having an abundance of Mogwai t-shirts at home, I added another to my collection. Tremendous.
And Finally…
I’ll be back on the 12th of February with the next issue of Dispatches.
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Fabulous photos - I'm off to see Mogwai in Leeds next month. Fairly new to them as a band, so have a lot of catching up to do. Really looking forward to it