Here at ELM we’ve had Glasvegas on our horizon from the outset, and always thought they were pish. However, learned people have told us that they aren’t, and that our continued hatred of them stems from a blinkered attitude that they are the bastard offspring of an unholy alliance between William Reid and Craig Reid in a Top of the Pops Studio in 1987. So, in the spirit of compromise for which this site has yet to fully embrace, we asked our good buddy Mrs. Morrissey to give us the low-down on their recent show at Glasgow’s Barrowlands. We aren’t a monoculture, so she was trusted to report without fear or favour. Here’s what she told us;
How were they? Well, Glasvegas put on a decent enough set. They have finally sorted out the sound problems which plagued them the first few times we caught them, although they have replaced this with an over zealous smoke machine which at times totally masked them and the stage.
On arrival I thought it was going to be a chav-fest as there was a wee bloke outside threatening to come back and shoot all the bouncers if they didn’t let him back in, amid a plethora of “quite colourful” language, but after going upstairs (sidestepping some puke on the way) found that the hall was filled with a big mix of people. Strangely, there were quite a lot of old people – like, grey hair, spectacle-wearing old; almost professorial-types. Okay, I was exaggerating, I saw two of them. But still. Finally, a lot of more mature, sort of growling hardmen type folks…I decided they were possibly family friends… and then just the rest, a mish-mash of different ages and people but definitely not youngsters, all very fired-up and committed (singing every word of every song.)
They did a 45 minute set and when they were good, they were very good but it has to be said that this was when they played the songs they have been touring behind for a couple of years now. ‘Your Cheating Heart’, ‘Go Square Go’ and ‘Daddy’s Gone’ were fantastic, absolutely spot on, but if I’m being honest, it was similar to when I saw them before; the rest of their stuff kind of made me zone out and start hallucinating imagining and wishing it was Jesus and Mary Chain standing in amongst the smoke. It’s a similar effect to when you listen to the album – the big tracks are immense, the rest is just filler.
Nice ending touch though; a ticker tape display a la Times Square at New Year flooding down on the audience. Very rock and roll!
Great atmosphere and crowd though, very devoted, plus me devoted-ish at 4 songs. Seen worse.
So, not the absolute five-star classic review which will get us going back and re-assessing them, nor the utter critical kicking you might have expected here on ELM. In the end, we think we’ve got a slogan for the advertising people behind them – “Glasvegas; Some of it’s not that bad.”
Glasvegas – geraldine
the Jesus and Mary Chain – Just Like Honey
Filed under: gigs | Tagged: Barrowlands, big echoey drums, Glasgow, Glasvegas, Jesus and Mary Chain, smoke machine
Personally I think they’re all wrong; from the accents to the lyrics, sub JAMC riffs to the shades worn indoors. But top marks for having the bravery to review them anyway!!!
Thanks Bert. Who knows, you may tune in next week and see a Keane review!*
*You won’t.
A teacher friend recently informed that the actual neds who have Glasvegas records at her school is hovering around zero. I fear they are another band who talk about the working classes whilst being ignored by said working classes. Guradianista wank fodder?
i actually went to google to see if any of the papers had reviewed it to see if their opinion differed, obviously daily record gave their usual gushing review that sounded like the reviewer wasnt there, but i found a scotland on sunday interview which made me spit out my ricicles at the laptop (i love retro cereal) it ended with this deadly serious quote.
if you look into the sky above Barrowland, where Glasvegas are playing possibly the greatest anthem-roaring show of their lives, you might see a comet shooting overhead, straight across the infinite blackness in the middle of the starry night.
“I think our music sounds like van Gogh’s The Starry Night looks,” says James, as only a true romantic can. Which makes Glasvegas pretty priceless, too.
I think their music sounds like a Proclaimer singing for The Jesus and Marychain.
Honestly folks, that’s why ELM is the premier review place. If it’s good, we’ll tell you, if it’s not, we we’ll tell you!
Here you see the difference betrween those who pay into gigs and those who don’t!
Tell ye whit ah find objectionable aboot them?? I’ll stop now, with the put-on Glaswegian typing.
I have a theory about Alan McGhee, for it was he who pretty much shouted from the rooftops about “best band in Britain” etc etc in his usual overly enthusiastic way. Three Colours Red, anyone?
Anyway, I digress.
If you examine all the bands that McGhee has raved about in recent years (maybe from Oasis on) you’ll find a constant.
There all skinny, pretty boys with guitars and winsome looks. They are pretty much all style over substance, and sink without trace after a patchy first album/good first single.
So, from this I conclude: Alan McGhee likes boys.
He’s a friend of Rodney.
And incidentally, I fucking hate Glasvegas. I bet they aint here next Xmas.
Alan McGhee loved The Gyres. the fucking Gyres. Says it all Whippet.
Though he can’t be a gay, he’s ginger, you don’t get ginger gays.
I think Glasvegas have written some awesome songs although I agree their album disappointed me with too many mediocre fillers. Having said that, “It’s your own cheating heart” is one of the most honest and revealing songs about guilt and regret ever written. Those of you who say it’s not so have clearly never heard it and can’t get past the accent.
And lastly think you are perhaps missing the point somewhat, their songs may reflect their own personal experiences but that’t the whole fucking point of writing songs. That’s got nothing to do with class, or whether neds love them or hate them, it’s all to do with human emotion. And I for one have plenty of that.
Alan McGhee is still a cunt.
and vincent van gogh was ginger and gay just fyi
Another theory bites the dust……….
They’re not real neds writing about their “own personal experience”, they’re a cynical cash-in on the current fad for “gritty realism”.
I’d love to see these twats walk through the East End of Glasgow with their Raybans on anytime soon. Now, that would be worth watching.
In all fairness – an ELM watchword
– their new single ‘Please Come Back Home’ is a lovely thing musically, but I’m still struggling to get past his voice, and I speak as someone who lists Billy Bragg, Shane MacGowan and Kate rusby among his favourite singers, so I’m not regionalist.
Stealing the bits the JAMC stole from Phil Spector is low. Doing it badly with a tit as a frontman is unforgivable.
They’re poo.
I think that’s the bit that annoys me about them – it’s not that they are derivative, it’s that they do so badly with it.
Did you see their singer on ‘Buzzcocks’? Think he was aiming for insouciant cool. What he actually managed was ‘Christ, what a wank!’