Gut Reactions (post-gig memories and other trips)

Sunday, 14 June 2026

Halestorm's Lzzy & Joe: Unplugged. The Garage, Glasgow. Sunday 14th June, 2026

I arrived at the venue forty minutes before the doors were due to open. The queue is down as far as the Genting Casino. The warm sun shines behind us, as a steady flow of fans in rock T-shirts joins the queue. Deliveroo and Just Eat riders zip up and down the cycle path at speeds that should be prohibited so close to the pavement. An occasional souped-up car phut-phuts along Sauchiehall Street, sounding like it needs a new exhaust when, in fact, it's entirely deliberate. The casino is popular with the local Chinese community, as they're the only people I see coming in or out.

At 7pm, we're let in. It's a smooth process. No pat-downs, just bag searches. If you haven't got a bag, you're told to keep going. Then, a ticket scan at the box office at the top of the stairs, then up more stairs to the hall. I get a spot near the barrier, three people in front. I can see both microphone stands and the keyboards. Perfect. There's almost another hour before the show starts.

The space gets hot and sweaty. The front row is all VIPs, with stickers on their shirts identifying them, their number written on in marker pen. In the centre are a couple of giants, their true height disguised by their leaning on the barrier.

The crowd is still fluid at this point, with positions changing. I end up three from the front. Somehow, a young lad with designer stubble and a wide-brimmed Panama fedora moves from behind me, to beside me, to in front of me. He's more annoying than the giants in front. Who wears a wide-brimmed hat to a gig? What's next? Top hats?

At 8pm, Lzzy and Joe take the stage. She has no instrument (other than her voice), so pulls the microphone out of the stand and sings from the centre of the stage. Joe sticks to his microphone stand, which is lined with guitar picks. With the audience lights down, Hat Boy's hat blocks my view, a circle of darkness redacting the performance. I can barely see the top of Lzzy's head. I imagine taking slapstick vengeance on the lad, pulling the hat down so hard his head pokes through the rim, becoming a ruff around his neck. I simmer at my lack of view. It's too packed to move.

Before

(en)During

I sneak a few pics of Lzzy, framed by his neck and hairy shirt, from beneath the hat's rim. All is not lost, though, as I can view what's happening on stage thanks to the myriad of tiny screens people are holding to record their own show experience. At the end of the first set, as the pair leave the stage, Joe flicks a few of his guitar picks into the audience. I lose sight of the one heading in my direction, but feel a tiny dunt on my chest. The pick lands on the floor between my feet. I casually retrieve it before anyone else can and slip it into my change pocket. It must have been a lucky pick because this is when my circumstances changed.

Phone screen

At the interval, a heavy-set Manchester lass inveigles her way forward, initially behind me, then beside me, then in front of me. This places me further away from Hat Man, and suddenly I can see, albeit still with the man-giant baldy in view. The second half was much better. The aircon in the hall kept the place cooler. My view was more relaxed, and I enjoyed the performance much more now that I could see it.

Lzzy has one of the finest and most powerful voices in rock. Her range and clarity are unsurpassed. As a frontwoman, she's so at ease with the crowd, chatting humorously with tales about shows and offstage antics. The dynamic between her and Joe, her partner of 23 years, is similarly comfortable. He seems in awe of her, and she loves him back with every glance and gentle putdown. She's the star, and he loves to be in her orbit. We all do. The sing-alongs are loud, the audience appreciative. We belt out the "Here we, here we" anthem unbidden, followed by "No Scotland, No Party." At the end, the pair surprise us by donning Scotland football tops, Joe in the away top, Lzzy in blue, before toasting us and playing the final song, Here's to us.

At the end, Lzzy rushes off stage to thank and shake hands with the VIPs before returning to take her bow with Joe and pose for the obligatory audience pic.

It was an incredible evening, lasting two and a quarter hours, and, afterwards, I felt young again, lifted in spirit and pain-free. Even Hat Boy couldn't spoil this feeling when he scarpered like a young gazelle. Lzzy scrunched up most of the setlists and threw them into the audience, but I managed to find someone with one that was still pristine, who graciously allowed me to take this photo.

Isn't this lovely!

Setlist

Set 1:

I Get Off

(Halestorm cover)

Do Not Disturb

(Halestorm cover)

Girl Crush

(Little Big Town cover)

Freak Like Me

(Halestorm cover)

I Am the Fire

(Halestorm cover)

Like a Woman Can

(Halestorm cover)

Shiver

(Halestorm cover)

In Your Room

(Halestorm cover)

The Silence

(Halestorm cover)

I Remember You

(Skid Row cover)

Set 2:

Dear Daughter

(Halestorm cover) - Lzzy solo at the keyboards

Break In

(Halestorm cover) - Lzzy solo at the keyboards

Love Bites (So Do I)

(Halestorm cover)

Mz. Hyde

(Halestorm cover)

I Miss the Misery

(Halestorm cover)

Gold Dust Woman

(Fleetwood Mac cover)

White Dress

(Halestorm cover)

I Like It Heavy

(Halestorm cover)

Familiar Taste of Poison

(Halestorm cover)

Bad Romance

(Lady Gaga cover)

Rock Show

(Halestorm cover)

Here's to Us

(Halestorm cover)

Videos (not my finest work)

Gold Dust Woman (Fleetwood Mac cover)

Bad Romance (Lady Gaga cover)

Ticket Price: Artist Presale Ticket: £38.50 x 1
Service Fee: £4.85 x 1
Handling Fee £1.50
Total £44.85 via Ticketmaster

Friday, 12 June 2026

Take That, The Circus Live Summer 2026, Hampden Park, Glasgow. Friday 12th June, 2026

We parked in Shawlands, accepting it would be a half-hour walk to the venue. Naturally, we passed several parking spaces closer on the way, but at least we avoided the crowds when they piled out after the show.

Our entrance gate was on the opposite side of the stadium from our approach. By the time we wandered round, the gates were open, but the line was still long. About fifteen minutes later, after a cursory wand waft, we were in. My wife knew exactly where she wanted to stand, so we headed onto the pitch to snag our spot near the B stage, close to the barrier.

My next job was to go get her water and snacks.

I asked the official which steps granted access to the bars, and was directed towards two sets. At this point, I should say I should have spotted the massive signs on either side of one set of steps indicating the way to the toilets/food/bars. Lots of fans were flowing down those steps, so my brain automatically thought that couldn't be an exit. So up I went along a parallel set, only to find it gave access to a toilet area. I asked another official at the top of the steps how to get to a bar area, and he directed me to VIP Hospitality. Only I didn't know that at the time.

At the entrance, I was asked to show my ticket. I flashed my Front Standing B wristband, and the security guy let me in. I lifted a bottle of water from the fridge, spying the incredible-looking buffet of hot food and desserts, but no chocolate bars. My wife had given me specific instructions to buy chocolate. I asked at the counter if they had any and how I could pay for my water, and was told they didn't have any and that I didn't need to pay. Everything was free.

It was then that I twigged where I was. I didn't want to push my luck and be ejected, so I headed back out clutching my 'free' bottle of water. I thanked the security man as I passed, before traipsing down pitchside again. I then took the correct set of stairs and found a concession selling chocolate (and other things).

The sun was breaking through the clouds. My wife joked that one side of my face would be burned tomorrow. I didn't think so. The wind was so strong that the clouds brought a welcome reprieve from the warm sunshine.

Belinda Carlisle, at 67, is limber. Barefoot on the stage, wearing a heavy pink skirt, a black polo top and sunglasses, she whizzed through her hits, waving her arms to the music, dancing along. I was surprised by how many of her songs I knew and liked. A good act to warm us up.

Belinda Carlisle Setlist:

(We Want) The Same Thing

Live Your Life Be Free

I Get Weak

Circle in the Sand

Summer Rain

Leave a Light On

Heaven Is a Place on Earth

When she sang Summer Rain, a thick, ominous, heavy cloud rolled across the stadium sky. By the time The Script appeared, the ponchos were already on, and the rain was teeming down. It didn't last long, but neither did it stay away, intermittently dampening the crowd. I (thought I) spotted a former colleague, Lisa, singing along to The Script. She didn't confirm my Messenger message (no signal?), so I didn't approach her in case I was mistaken. (It was her, I later discovered).

I can take or leave The Script. I am somewhat immune to Danny's vocal charms. It was nice to hear that afterwards they played a tiny gig in Malone's, an Irish bar in town. Keeping it real, given they're headlining the OVO Hydro later in the year. Ironically, when they sang Rain, the sun came back out.

The Script setlist:

Superheroes

Rain

Man in the Arena

Nothing

The Man Who Can't Be Moved

Breakeven

Hall of Fame

It was pissing down again by the time the Take That appeared on stage. Clowns, balloons, and Cirque du Soleil-style acrobats converged to camouflage the trio's arrival in a remarkably colourful opening on Stage B.

Opening song, "Greatest Day", begins at around 5 minutes and 45 seconds,

if you want to scroll past the punters' heads.

I'm not keen on staging 'in the round', where the artists perform on a stage in the crowd and move around to sing to everyone. The dance moves to Pray lacked nostalgic impact when viewed from the rear. Still, we got to see each of them up close briefly during these numbers.

The elephant set piece during The Garden was amazing. On one level, I knew it was a costume scaffold draped over a movable, raised platform, operated by a crew and performers. However, what my eyes saw was a massive elephant with flapping ears and a swishing tail, with the boys in the box on top. It was mightily impressive.

Given that we were so close to Stage B, this meant we were quite a distance from the main stage. This allowed us to take in the full extent of the incredible wall-to-wall screens with their circular centrepiece. The trade-off was that the performers appeared quite small. Gary got to play solo for a couple of numbers before the clown show returned. I liked how we got to see the boys turn into clowns, applying grease paint and makeup and putting on their costumes while singing, appropriately enough, "The Circus."

At this point, I should mention I experienced a fanboy moment. Standing maybe fifteen yards from me, I spotted author Ross Mackenzie with his wife and daughters. I snapped a photo of him without thinking, then immediately regretted it. He wasn't at work. This wasn't a signing. Why had I done that? I couldn't go over and say hello. Too nervous.

Said It All is a touching song that slowed the tempo, allowing them to play a few reflective tunes in preparation for the pre-encore finale. Iron Maiden could take some tips from the TT crew, because the ringmaster (or whatever he's called) was amazing. Inflating before us, he was so much more than a balloon. His arms moved, his face was expressive, and he spoke. Quite a spectacle with all the circus performers doing their stuff around him.

For the encore, the boys returned to sing my two favourite Take That songs (both of which found their way onto my wedding playlist, along with the "I am the Doctor" theme by Murray Gold). I threw my voice into the throng and loved every magical moment, the stadium illuminated with camera torches. The atmosphere was incredible. The traditional end-of-show fireworks were nothing special, the wind quickly dispersing the glittering explosions. A minor gripe, though, after such a spectacular show.

As we shuffled across the pitch to the steps, the Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes song "Time of My Life" (from Dirty Dancing) played over the PA, whipping up another sing-along from the crowd, some of them busting out the movie's dance moves. A lovely cherry to top off such a sweet evening.

On the way home, I spotted another pharmacy colleague, Felice, chatting with a tall male friend near the stadium. I waved as we passed, but she didn't notice. Sometimes I think I'm the invisible man (but that's a Queen song).

Take That setlist:

B Stage

Greatest Day

Hello

Could It Be Magic (Barry Manilow cover)

Pray

A Million Love Songs

Back for Good

The Garden

Main Stage

Shine

Up All Night